Chemspy chemistry news and views

Queen bee compounds - Scientists in Italy have created an environmentally friendly method of making the principal bioactive compound found in royal jelly, a substance secreted by honeybees and fed to queen larvae to ensure that they develop into sexually mature females. They've also synthesised the compound the queen secretes that halts ovarian development in worker bees. And the compound from royal jelly has the potential to treat cancer or could be used as an active ingredient in health foods and cosmetics. Reference: C Milite et al, RSC Adv., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2ra20275a