Pine Pollen

172. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1983 May;71(5):442-7. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(83)90459-1. Immunologic-mediated eustachian tube obstruction: a double-blind crossover study. Friedman RA, Doyle WJ, Casselbrant ML, Bluestone C, Fireman P. Eight subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis confirmed by positive skin tests and serum radioallergosorbent test to ragweed or timothy grass pollen were identified. A double-blind provocative antigen challenge was performed with intranasal insufflation of 50 mg of dry pollen to which the subject was either sensitive (ragweed or timothy) or not sensitive (pine). Before and after pollen insufflation, measurements of nasal function by nasal rhinomanometry and eustachian tube (ET) function by the nine-step tympanometry test were performed for up to 14 days. The ability to dilate the ET was documented in 14 of the 16 ears of the eight subjects before challenge. Within 30 min after antigen challenge transient obstruction of the ET associated with inability to dilate upon swallowing was observed in all 14 ears. Clinical symptoms of allergic rhinitis, including rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction, were produced in all subjects. ET function changes were reversible in three of 14 ears within 2 hr but persisted for more than 3 days in six of the ears. As a control, insufflation of pine pollen did not alter ET function or rhinomanometric values or produce clinical symptoms in the eight subjects. These findings suggest an allergic basis for ET obstruction and possibly for the development of otitis media with effusion.

The homogenization of landscapes and reduction in floral diversity have increasingly led to low diversity in pollen diets for honey bees. In this study, we examined the effects of monofloral pollen diets based on wind-pollinated (Corylus sp., Pinus sp.) and insect-pollinated plants (Brassica napus L., Phacelia sp., Solidago sp., Fagopyrum sp.) on the development of hypopharyngeal glands (HPGs), activities of enzymatic (AST, ALT, ALP, GGTP) and non-enzymatic (urea, uric acid) biomarkers, as well as magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus concentrations in the hemolymph and fat bodies from different locations (tergite 3, 5 and sternite) in worker bees. Even a small (10%) addition of pollen to sugar candy stimulated the development of acini compared to the control group, with phacelia, buckwheat, and goldenrod pollen having the strongest effects. The largest acini developed in the 14-day-old bees fed with Phacelia pollen, whereas the collecting duct diameters were significantly reduced in all the pollen-supplemented groups. Enzymatic biomarker activities were the highest in the hemolymph of newly emerged bees and increased with age across all the tissues, particularly in tergite 5, with the highest activities recorded in the bees fed with insect-pollinated plant pollen. Non-enzymatic parameters and ion concentrations also varied with tissue type and segmental location, generally increasing with age and reaching the highest values in tergite 5. Regardless of the tissue (the fat body vs. hemolymph), the bees fed a diet containing pollen from Brassica napus, Phacelia, Solidago, and Fagopyrum had higher concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, while the effects of hazel and pine pollen were less pronounced. These findings suggest that even limited pollen supplementation can positively shape the morphological and biochemical physiology of worker bees. Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing strategies to support bee health under increasing environmental pressures and changing floral availability.

Constipation, a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder, urgently requires safe and effective intervention strategies. Natural dietary fibers have gained attention for their potential to alleviate constipation through multiple mechanisms. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of pine pollen fiber (PPF), a by-product from pine pollen processing, on loperamide-induced constipation in mice. The mice were administered low or high doses of PPF for 14 consecutive days, and we evaluated constipation-related indicators, serum levels of gastrointestinal peptides and neurotransmitters, gut microbiota composition, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. The results showed that PPF supplementation significantly improved defecation function by increasing the fecal moisture content and intestinal propulsion rate. The PPF intervention restored the balance of neuroendocrine factors by upregulating excitatory neurotransmitters (substance P, motilin, gastrin, and acetylcholine) and downregulating inhibitory peptides (vasoactive intestinal peptide and somatostatin). 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that PPF modulated the gut microbiota structure and enhanced microbial diversity. Notably, PPF administration significantly promoted the production of SCFAs, particularly acetate, propionate and butyrate. These microbial metabolites may in turn influence the secretion of gastrointestinal hormones and neurotransmitters, as evidenced by the restored balance of excitatory and inhibitory factors in serum. Collectively, these findings indicate that the alleviation of constipation by PPF involves multi-pathway mechanisms linking gut microbiota modulation, SCFA production, and neuroendocrine regulation, supporting its potential application as a functional food ingredient for intestinal health.

This study aimed to evaluate pine pollen as a natural adsorbent for off-odor control in surimi gels and elucidate pollen adsorption behavior. The results demonstrated that pine pollen significantly reduced the content and odor activity values of most aldehydes, ketones and alcohols that contributed to off-odor in surimi gels by GC-MS analysis. The adsorption behavior of pine pollen to 5 typical off-odor compounds (hexanal, nonanal, (Z)-4-heptenal, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal and 1-octen-3-ol) in surimi gels was further explored. Kinetic analyses demonstrated that their adsorption onto pine pollen involved both physisorption and chemisorption. (Z)-4-Heptenal exhibited the highest capacity and adsorption rate for pine pollen. Isotherm tests revealed the process was spontaneous, exothermic, and best described by monolayer adsorption models. The high adsorption capacity is attributed to the unique honeycomb structure and large surface area of pine pollen with abundant active functional groups. This structure is particularly effective for adsorbing polar molecules like (Z)-4-heptenal. In conclusion, pine pollen shows great potential as a natural ingredient for improving the flavor of surimi products. This structure is particularly effective for adsorbing polar molecules like (Z)-4-heptenal. In conclusion, pine pollen shows great potential as a natural ingredient for improving the flavor of surimi products.

Performance of Osmia bicornis larvae fed on six diets with different pollen species composition (one wild collected by foraging adults), each with known levels of nine essential amino acids (EAA; leucine, lysine, valine, arginine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, threonine, histidine, methionine), was investigated. Four of the pollen diets consisted of individual pollen species and two were mixtures of either four or five species (including one naturally foraged by adult O. bicornis). The diets fell into four statistically distinct groups with different EAA contents (ranked from Group I (highest EAA) to Group IV (lowest EAA; pine pollen). The highest larval survival rate was recorded with the wild-foraged diet (Group III) with no survival in Group IV. Similar survival occurred for all other diets. Where larvae survived (Group I-III), there was no effect of diet on the time to commencement of larval stages, cocoon completion or larval development time (egg hatch to pupation), or on pupal weight. The findings provide corroborative evidence of the existence of amino acid thresholds for larval success, but the need for further work is discussed in relation to their multidimensional nutritional requirements and variation of the nutritional content of pollen.

Fermentation with Aspergillus niger significantly enhances the hepatoprotective effects of pine pollen. This study evaluated the effects of Aspergillus niger-fermented pine pollen (FPP) against alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) using ethanol-induced HepG2 cells and an AFLD mouse model. In AFLD mice, FPP markedly reduced hepatic triglyceride levels from 1.47 ± 0.13 to 0.90 ± 0.11 mg/g and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) from 2.27 ± 0.63 to 1.02 ± 0.15 U/mL, indicating significant alleviation of lipid accumulation and liver injury. Mechanistically, FPP suppressed lipogenesis by downregulating PPARγ and SREBP-1c, while promoting fatty acid oxidation through upregulation of PPARα and CPT1. Untargeted metabolomic analysis further revealed substantial fermentation-induced metabolic remodeling and identified six key metabolites closely correlated with improvements in liver injury, lipid metabolism, and oxidative stress. Overall, these findings demonstrate that Aspergillus niger-fermented pine pollen may serve as a promising functional food for AFLD prevention.

This study utilized a testosterone propionate-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) rat model to investigate the prostate-protective effects of pine pollen water extract and fermented broths prepared using three optimized microbial strains. Comprehensive analyses assessed prostatic histomorphology, serum hormone profiles, prostatic antioxidant capacity, inflammatory factors, and growth factor expression. Results demonstrated that all treatment groups exhibited inhibitory effects on BPH, and restored prostate-related indicators to the level of the healthy control group or close to that of the positive drug group. Correlation analysis revealed that elevated phenolic content and enhanced antioxidant capacity in fermented supernatants were mechanistically associated with multiple pathways, effectively suppressing BPH through integrated mechanisms involving hormonal regulation, oxidative stress mitigation, and modulation of growth/inflammatory factors, achieving comprehensive prostate protection. Notably, the 7-day Yeast-fermented supernatant demonstrated better antioxidant activity, bioactive component content and in vivo prostate-protective efficacy compared with water extract group. This study provides a scientific foundation for advancing pine pollen utilization in functional food through insights into its prostate-protective efficacy.

A rapid, convenient, and efficient dispersive solid-phase extraction approach, integrating ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and pretreated pine pollen, was developed for sensitive quantification of 13 heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in sesame oil. Critical parameters, namely sorbent type and dosage, adsorption mode and duration, detergent dosage, eluent additive and volume, and elution cycles, were systematically optimized to evaluate their effects on the HCA recovery. The proposed method was verified for all the 13 HCAs, demonstrating favorable analytical characteristics with remarkable linear relationships (coefficient of determination, R2 ≥ 0.998), adequate recoveries (64.2%-99.4%), acceptable intra- and inter-day precision (relative standard deviations ≤ 10.4%), and low limits of detection (0.02-0.83 μg/kg) and quantification (0.07-2.70 μg/kg). The proposed approach offers distinct advantages, including rapidity, simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and minimized organic solvent consumption, demonstrating great potential for accurately analyzing HCAs in complex food matrices.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease often referred to as the "incurable cancer," characterized by a long disease course, high recurrence rate, and inability to achieve complete cure. It not only severely impacts patients' quality of life but also faces challenges such as high treatment costs and side effects with current therapeutic approaches. The primary active component of pine pollen (PP) extract (PPE) is dihydroquercetin (DHQ), which possesses various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulating effects. To date, however, the pharmacological properties and mechanism of action of DHQ remain uncharacterised, and further evidence is required to substantiate its efficacy in treating psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to examine the anti-psoriatic properties of PPE, determine its principal active component, and clarify its mechanisms of action along with its therapeutic prospects. METHOD: This study elucidated the anti-psoriatic mechanism of PPE. Bioactivity-directed purification afforded a PPE enriched with DHQ. Subsequent phytochemical analysis employing UPLC-Q-Orbitrap/MS and HPLC identified DHQ and 17 additional active constituents. The mechanism of action was predicted through an integration of network pharmacology and molecular docking, with predictions subsequently validated by RT-qPCR. In LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, a 24-hour intervention with PPE modulated levels of ROS, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, cell migration, and inflammatory responses. In a 5 % IMQ-induced murine psoriasis model, seven-day oral administration of PPE conferred therapeutic efficacy, as assessed by PASI scoring, histological and immunohistochemical examination, ELISA, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: PPE treatment significantly reduced PASI scores, skin thickness, splenic index, and inflammatory cell infiltration. It also reversed intestinal barrier damage, ameliorated small intestinal villus atrophy, and suppressed serum levels of inflammatory cytokines. PPE alleviated psoriasis by inhibiting macrophage-driven inflammation. Integrated UPLC-Q-Orbitrap/MS and HPLC analyses, combined

10. Sci Total Environ. 2025 Oct 6;1002:180665. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180665. Online ahead of print. Pollen hydration and its induced effects on human bronchial epithelial cells: A comparative analysis of three species. Pathania D(1), Venkatesan S(2), Kourtchev I(3), McKenzie M(4), Bogush

Objectives: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a long-term, recurring inflammatory skin condition characterized by impaired epidermal barrier function and abnormal immune system regulation. Pine pollen has traditionally been used for dermatological treatments, though its active components remain unclear. The primary objective of this study was to pinpoint the active constituents of pine pollen and elucidate its therapeutic effects against AD. Methods: The safety concentration ranges and protective efficacy of nine pine pollen constituents against 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced HaCaT cell damage were evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. Furthermore, models of DNCB-induced damage were established both in vitro (HaCaT cells) and in vivo (BALB/c mice) to explore the protective effects of the key functional component. Results: Our findings identified pine pollen polysaccharides (PPPS) as the principal bioactive constituent, characterized by a unique infrared absorption spectral profile and a sponge-like architecture with three-dimensional interconnected porous networks. In vitro, PPPS inhibited DNCB-induced decreases in cell viability, morphological abnormalities, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. In vivo, PPPS alleviated DNCB-induced skin lesions by attenuating epidermal hyperplasia, suppressing mast cell infiltration, inhibiting cell apoptosis, and downregulating the expression of IL-4 and IL-17A. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that PPPS from pine pollen can alleviate epidermal damage in AD, offering a novel therapeutic strategy for AD treatment.

A micro-cage bioassay was developed to test the effect of slash pine pollen (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) supplementation to a whole onion plant (Allium cepa L. variety Pegasus) diet on thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) reproductive parameters. Frankliniella fusca (Hinds) females were placed on two to three-leaf stage onion seedling under a treatment of either slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) pollen dusting (a pollen supplement) or no pollen treatment. Adult survival, net oviposition, and offspring produced over a series of ten 2-d intervals were recorded. From these values, l(x), l(x)m(x), and R(0) values were constructed. A trimodal distribution of oviposition was observed with the pollen supplement. Increased oviposition rates led to higher female offspring production per female and to a four-fold increase in F. fusca net reproduction on pollen-treated onions.

184. Appl Opt. 2025 Nov 1;64(31):9234-9241. doi: 10.1364/AO.574898. Spectra-polarization microscopic computational imaging for biological applications. Hu L, Gan Z, Yan Y, Xu X, Zheng Y, Yang Q, He X, Liu X. This study introduces a microscopic computational imaging system capable of multidimensional spatial, spectral, and polarization detection. The system utilizes four optical encoders and a neural network to reconstruct 36 high-resolution images (1280×960 pixels) across nine spectral bands (400-800 nm), each captured at four polarization angles (0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°), achieving a 1:9 reconstruction ratio. The system performance was evaluated through biological imaging applications, achieving high-resolution visualization of paramecia nuclei, pine pollen surface topography, and mouse muscle fiber birefringence. The integrated design addresses the limitations of conventional single-modality microscopy, providing a versatile tool for biomedical and material analysis.

Drilling operations increasingly face challenges related to poor rheology control, excessive fluid loss, and inefficient cuttings transport, especially in HPHT conditions. This study aimed to address these issues by developing a sustainable nanoparticle based additive synthesized through a green route. A biogenic extract from Pinus nigra pollen was used to produce selenium doped silver zinc oxide nanocomposites (Se@Ag/AgO–ZnO) via a single step co precipitation method. The resulting heterostructured material exhibited nanoscale crystallite size and a textured morphology confirmed by SEM. The nanocomposite was incorporated into water based drilling fluids at concentrations of 0 to 5000 ppm. Rheological behavior was evaluated using Bingham Plastic modeling, filtration performance was measured under standard and HPHT conditions, and cuttings transport was assessed through rolling oven tests. Results showed that the optimal concentration of 1000 ppm increased yield point to 12.12 Pa and plastic viscosity to 48.7 cP while maintaining high model accuracy with R2 values of at least 0.991. Filtrate volumes decreased by up to 68.5 percent in standard tests and 69.2 percent in HPHT tests due to formation of a compact and low permeability filter cake. Quartz and shale cuttings recovery reached 88 percent and 79 percent respectively at 1000 ppm. At 5000 ppm, mild performance decline was linked to particle agglomeration. These findings demonstrate that pollen derived nanocomposites can enhance drilling fluid behavior and offer a sustainable approach for improving rheology, filtration control, and hole cleaning efficiency.

Microplastics (MPs) are widespread pollutants that pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. This study evaluates the potential of untreated pine (Pinus eldarica) pollen grains as an eco-friendly, chemical-free biosorbent for removing MPs from water. The heterogeneous and porous surface of pine pollen, enriched with functional groups, enables effective adsorption of MPs through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Untreated pine pollen achieved a maximum removal efficiency of 66.2±2.54% for polystyrene (PS) MPs at a pollen concentration of 240 mg/L and with higher efficiencies of 87% for PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and 95.2% for PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), reflecting differences in polymer hydrophobicity and density. Adsorption followed the Freundlich isotherm model (R2=0.977), suggesting heterogeneous binding sites, and removal efficiency for PS MPs was size-dependent, decreasing from approximately 78% for 75-150 μm particles to approximately 63% for 250-500 μm particles. Alkaline pH enhanced PS MP removal to 77.6±3.39%, while the presence of humic acid (15 mg/L) reduced efficiency to approximately 56%, and competitive anions, particularly H₂PO₄- (5 mM), decreased it further to 45.2±1.7%. Surfactants significantly improved MP removal; for instance, non-ionic Tween20 increased efficiency from the baseline 66.2% to approximately 98%, and cationic CTAB to approximately 94%. Pine pollen showed strong reusability, maintaining over 50% removal efficiency for PS MPs after four adsorption-desorption cycles. It also maintained effectiveness in real water samples, achieving approximately 59% removal in lake water, though performance decreased to around 45% in wastewater. These findings highlight untreated pine pollen as a natural, cost-effective, and sustainable alternative to chemical agents for mitigating MP pollution in aquatic environments.

INTRODUCTION: Pine pollen polysaccharides (PPPS) has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, and anti-bacterial properties. PPPS can accelerate wound healing in mouse cutaneous wounds, yet it is unclear whether PPPS can promote diabetic wound healing. METHODS: Fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were stimulated with high glucose (HG) to mimic hyperglycemic environment. Cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and angiogenesis were assessed by cell counting, Western blot, transwell migration, and tube formation assays. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and macrophage polarization were analyzed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) mice were subjected to skin wounds and PPPS administration to validate the role of PPPS in diabetic wound healing. RESULTS: PPPS treatment impaired HG-induced viability reduction, apoptosis promotion, and migration repression of fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and HUVECs, accompanied by promotion of angiogenesis of HUVECs under HG stimulation. Specifically, PPPS treatment facilitated NET degradation and suppressed macrophage M1 polarization. Furthermore, PPPS accelerated diabetic wound healing in DM mice, along with decreased citrullinated H3 and PAD4 protein levels and elevated CD31 protein levels, suggesting that PPPS facilitated re-epithelialization and vascularization and reduced NETs. CONCLUSIONS: PPPS accelerates diabetic wound healing via mediating NETs and the polarization of M1-type macrophages, providing new insights into the promoting role of PPPS in diabetic wound healing. © 2025 The Author(s).

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to establish the potential osteotropic effect of pine pollen on bone metabolism in male rats during the development of osteopenia induced by orchidectomy (ORX). We also established the effect of gonadectomy and pine pollen on the characteristics of calf muscles. Methods: This study was conducted using 40 male Wistar rats divided into one sham-operated (SHO) and four ORX groups. The SHO rats and one ORX group (negative control) were treated with physiological saline (PhS). The remaining ORX groups received exclusively testosterone (positive control) and two doses of pine pollen (50 and 150 mg/kg b.w.), respectively. The rats were killed 60 days later and their right tibia and left pelvic limbs were isolated. The tibia was analyzed using densitometry, computed tomography, and a bending machine to determine densitometry, structure, and mechanical properties, respectively. The left pelvic limb allowed for measurements of area, density, and fat tissue in the calf muscle. Results: The dose of 150 mg/kg b.w. inhibited the development of atrophic changes, both in the cortical and trabecular bone tissue. The dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. also has a protective effect on bones but is less pronounced and concerns only the trabecular bone tissue. The higher dose of pine pollen inhibited the catabolism of the calf muscles by maintaining the density and surface area as in the SHO group. It also limited the accumulation of intramuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Conclusions: It is worth emphasizing the osteoprotective effectiveness of pine pollen, especially when administered in larger doses, which demonstrates the possibility of its use in the prevention of the development of osteoporosis in males.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the influence of pine pollen (PP) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) behavior in vitro and in vivo and explore its mechanism of action by focusing on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein serine-threonine kinase (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway and α-Enolase (ENO1) gene expression. METHODS: We performed a bioinformatics analysis of ENO1. HCC cells overexpressing ENO1 were developed by lentivirus transfection. Cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were assessed using the cell cytotoxicity kit-8 assay, transwell assay, cell scratch test, and ENO1 inhibiting proliferation experiment. Protein expression was analyzed using Western blot. The in vivo effects of PP on HCC xenografts were also assessed in mice. The serum of nude mice in each group was analyzed for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and AST/ALT. The tumor blocks of nude mice were weighed, and proteins were extracted for Western blot. RESULTS: Compared to normal cells, the phosphorylation of ENO1 at the S27 site was most significant in HCC cells and was closely related to cell proliferation. In vitro, the PP solution inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of ENO1 overexpressing cells compared with empty-vector-transfected cells. In mice bearing HCC, PP injection inhibited the overexpression of ENO1, affected serum ALT, AST, and AST/ALT levels, and reduced tumor weight. However, the expression of proliferation-related proteins in tumors overexpressing ENO1 was higher than in empty transfected tumors. CONCLUSION: PP inhibits HCC by regulating the expression of ENO1 and MBP-1 and suppressing the PI3K/AKT pathway by inhibiting C-MYC and erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2. Copyright: © 2024 Luo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.