Ethno-pharmacological survey on the traditional use of bee pollen in Tunisia

Ethnopharmacology, at the crossroads of human and natural sciences, is devoted to exploringtraditional medicines as sources of potential future treatments. In this context, our study aimed toconduct an ethnopharmacological survey investigating the traditional use of bee pollen in severalregions of Tunisia. The survey comprised three main sections: demographic information aboutrespondents (e.g., age, gender, and education level), identification and application of hive products,and details regarding the discovery and utilization of bee pollen, including diseases treated,preparation methods, and modes of administration. Our findings revealed that bee pollen is primarilyused as a remedy for various ailments, with a notable focus on digestive disorders (32.7%). In terms ofpreparation, respondents commonly employed bee pollen in culinary applications (cooking: 31.2%,Viennese pastries: 19.9%, mixed with oat flakes: 22.2%), followed by infusion, capsules or tablets, anddecoction methods (34.3%, 34.3%, and 15.9%, respectively). Oral administration was overwhelminglypreferred (76.9%). In conclusion, the insights gathered from residents of different regions regardingthis medicinal bee product present compelling prospects for future therapeutic innovations. Thisdata serves as a valuable foundation for further pharmacological and experimental studies aimed atexploring the medicinal potential of bee pollen.