Bee antiviral compositions
The invention relates to compositions for reducing viral load in bees, the compositions comprising at least one plant secondary metabolite and a carrier comprising at least one sweetener, kits comprising such compositions, and methods of using such compositions to reduce viral load in bees.
1 . A composition to reduce viral load in bees, the composition comprising at least one plant secondary metabolite, and a carrier comprising at least one sweetener; wherein the at least one plant secondary metabolite is at least about 100 ppm jasmonate ester derivative, at least about 0.1 mM ferulic acid, at least about 0.1 mM octanoic acid, at least about 0.1 mM tannin, or a mixture thereof; wherein the composition optionally comprises at least one cyclodextrin; and wherein ingestion of the composition by bees reduces the viral load in the bees compared to a viral load in bees not ingesting the composition.
2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is an aqueous solution, a syrup, a solid, a spray, a gel, a dough, a granule, a powder, or a combination thereof.
3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetener is a bulk sweetener, a sugar sweetener, a sugar substitute sweetener, an artificial sweetener, a high-intensity sweetener, or a combination thereof.
4 . The composition of claim 3 , wherein the sugar sweetener is a saccharide-containing compound.
5 . The composition of claim 4 , wherein the saccharide-containing compound is a sucrose, a dextrose, a maltose, a lactose, a dextrin, a trehalose, a D-tagatose, a dried invert sugar, a fructose, a levulose, a galactose, corn syrup solids, or a combination thereof.
6 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising at least one cyclodextrin.
7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the at least one cyclodextrin is a β-cyclodextrin.
8 . The composition of claim 7 , wherein the β-cyclodextrin is methyl-β-cyclodextrin; hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin; or a combination thereof.
9 . A method of reducing viral load in a bee hive, the method comprising administering to bees, bee larvae, or a bee hive, an effective amount of a composition comprising at least one plant secondary metabolite and a carrier comprising at least one sweetener; the composition optionally comprising at least one cyclodextrin.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the carrier in the composition is an aqueous solution, a syrup, a solid, a spray, a gel, a dough, a granule, a powder, or a combination thereof.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sweetener is a bulk sweetener, a sugar sweetener, a sugar substitute sweetener, an artificial sweetener, a high-intensity sweetener, or a combination thereof.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sugar sweetener is a saccharide-containing compound.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the saccharide-containing compound is a sucrose, a dextrose, a maltose, a lactose, a dextrin, a trehalose, a D-tagatose, a dried invert sugar, a fructose, a levulose, a galactose, corn syrup solids, or a combination thereof.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one plant secondary metabolite is a jasmonate ester derivative, thymol, ferulic acid, octanoic acid, tannin, or a mixture thereof.
15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising at least one cyclodextrin.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one cyclodextrin is a β-cyclodextrin.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the β-cyclodextrin is methyl-β-cyclodextrin; hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin; or a combination thereof.
18 . A kit for reducing viral load in bees, the kit comprising at least one plant secondary metabolite and a carrier comprising at least one sweetener; wherein the at least one plant secondary metabolite is at least about 100 ppm jasmonate ester derivative, at least about 0.1 mM ferulic acid, at least about 0.1 mM octanoic acid, at least about 0.1 mM tannin, or a mixture thereof wherein the composition optionally comprises at least one cyclodextrin; and wherein ingestion of the composition by bees reduces the viral load in the bees compared to a viral load in bees not ingesting the composition.
19 . The kit of claim 18 , further comprising at least one cyclodextrin.