Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
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Asthma, together with, in some cases, anaphylaxis, was observed in seven subjects following ingestion of royal jelly, a secretion of honey bees which is used as a health tonic. ⋯ Symptoms of asthma and anaphylaxis seen in subjects following ingestion of royal jelly were true IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. The clinical significance of the antibodies found in the sera of control subjects is not known but they may arise in response to common inhalant allergens that show allergenic cross-reactivity with royal jelly.