 Bee venom the medicinal use of honey
bee products, has been practiced since ancient times. In the modern
world honey bee venom has found wide uses in treating arthritis
and other inflammatory and degenerative diseases. The world scientific
literature contains more than 1500 articles on bee venom. The French
and Russian equivalents of the N.I.H. have been involved in clinical
studies of honey bee venom, and in the U.S. the Army has looked
extensively at the chemical compounds in bee venom.
Honey bee venom contains at least 18 active substances.
Melittin, the most prevalent substance, is one of the most potent
anti-inflammatory agents known (100 times more potent than hydrocortisol).
Adolapin is another strong anti-inflammatory substance, and inhibits
cyclooxygenase; it thus has analgesic activity as well. Apamin
inhibits complement C3 activity, and blocks calcium-dependent potassium
channels, thus enhancing nerve transmission. Other substances,
such as Compound X, Hyaluronidase, Phospholipase A2, Histamine,
and Mast Cell Degranulating Protein (MSDP), are involved in the
inflammatory response of venom, with the softening of tissue and
the facilitation of flow of the other substances. Finally, there
are measurable amounts of the neurotransmitters Dopamine, Norepinephrine
and Seratonin.
Bee Venom therapy can be useful in a wide variety of medical
situations. Charles Mraz, a beekeeper in Middlebury, Vermont who
has popularized bee venom therapy for the past 60 years, says that
it is reasonable to try bee venom therapy in any clinical situation
where nothing else works. However, there are four situations which
are most frequent:
1. Arthritis and other systemic inflammations. Bee venom therapy
can be useful in both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, helping with
both pain and swelling. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid
nodules can lessen in size. Other connective tissue diseases such
as scleroderma have been (anecdotally) helped by BVT. Even systemic
inflammations not related to joints, such as ulcerative colitis
or even asthma, may warrant a trial of bee venom. This is presumedly
due to stimulation of endogenous cortisol through the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal
axis.
2. Acute and chronic injuries. Bursitis, tendonitis and other areas
of injury respond well to bee venom therapy. In this case, the
effect is probably a local anti- inflammatory effect, involving
the humoral and cellular immune responses to a foreign protein.
Chronic back and neck pain may respond, as can other aches and
pains.
3. Scar tissue. Keloids and other scar tissue are broken down and
softened by the substances in the venom, and can flatten out and
fade in color. Internalscar tissue, such as adhesions from previous
surgery, may respond to treatment over the area.
4. Multiple Sclerosis. This use of bee venom is poorly understood,
and needs to be studied further. Recently, the MS Associat ion
of America awarded a grant to an immunologist, Dr. John Santilli,
to prepare the venom in extract form to study its effect on MS
patients. Hundreds of patients with MS currently seek out bee venom
therapists and beekeepers. The treatment is prol ongued and not
for the squeamish, but the common responses are increased stability,
less fatigue, and less spasm.
Bee Venom Therapy can be performed by a beekeeper, or by a patient
or partner who is taught to use the bees.
There are physicians around who use bee venom therapy in their
practices. This is done by obtaining the venom (in sterilized vials)
and injecting it under the skin, sometimes mixed with a local anesthetic.
Some say that collecting the venom in vials loses some of its potency,
but in many situations this is more realistic than finding a beekeeper
or handling bees.
Side effects of bee venom therapy are generally limited, since
the inflammation, swelling, itching, etc. are desired effects.
However, the risk of an anaphylactic allergic reaction to bee venom
is real, and it is always wise to have a bee sting allergy kit
on hand. Fortunately, most "bee" sting allergic reactions are actually
to yellow jackets or wasps. Honey bee venom does not necessarily
cross-react, and some studies show honey bee stings to account
for less than 5% of all adverse stinging insect reactions. In addition,
many people who have had severe local reactions to bee stings,
which an apitherapist would consider a positive effect, are incorrectly
considered to have allergy to bees.
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