• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.21-30
• /
• 2005

Objectives : To observe physiological anti-body effects of anti-BV, acute toxic response, measurement of $LD_{50}$, and the effects of anti-body were evaluated. Methods : $LD_{50}$ of Anti-Bee Venom were measured, and to analyze acute toxic responses, weight, and the anti-body effects various concentrations of Anti-BV were diluted and the survival rate was measured. Cell blood count (CBC), liver, spleen, and kidney pathologies were observed from the histological aspects. Results : Experiment was conducted to observe Anti-BV as the anti-body to the bee venom and the following results were obtained : 1.anti-BV was injected intraperitoneally and no toxic responses were witnessed. All of the experiment subjects stayed alive during the experiment, making $LD_{50}$ analysis impossible. 2.Anti-BV was injected intraperitoneally in mice and no significant weight changes were measured between the control group and the experiment groups. 3. Measuring the concentration dependent survival rate, the highest survival rate was at the concentration of $1.25{\times}10^2mg/kg$(1/2.000) for Anti-BV. 4. No particular results were shown in the CBC test. 5. Observation of changes in the organ tissues, Anti-BV was found to suppress blood stasis in the liver and inhibit necrosis of the cells. Conclusion : Above results suggest that Anti-BV doesn't cause any toxic responses in the body and works as an anti-body to the bee venom. Further studies must be followed to secure the findings.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.5-15
• /
• 2001

This study was carried out for production of neutral antibody to bee venom $(anti-phospholipase\;A_2IgY)$. Hen layings were injected repeatedly with bee venom and phospholipase $A_2$ with Freund's adjuvant. Specific antibody in egg yolk from immunized hen laying was separated, and purified, also immunological characteristics of anti phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ was invested. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Phospholipase $A_2$ was showed single band at molecular weight 17,000 in SDS-PAGE and bee venom was showed two band at molecular weight 17,000 and under molecular weight 6,500 in SDS-PAGE. 2. During 70 days after hen immunized with bee venom and phospholipase $A_2$, antibodies(anti-bee venom IgY) to bee venom were showed poor ELISA value in egg yolk, but antibodies$(anti-Phospholipase\;A_2IgY)$ to phospholipase $A_2$ in egg yolk were increased ELISA value from 8 days or 15 days and found maximum ELISA value at 42 days. Also after booster at 49 days, ELISA value of anti Phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ in egg yolk was supported at optical density(O.D) 1.0 level, continuously. 3. Titer of phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ was showed 1: 32,000. 4. In double immunodiffusion test to phospholipase $A_2$ after double dilution of anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$, only precipitation line was made in 1:1 dilution well of anti-Phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$. But In immunodiffusion test to anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ after double dilution of phospholipase $A_2$, Precipitation line to 250ul/ml well of phospholipase $A_2$ was showed. In double immunodiffusion test to bee venom(1mg/ml) after double dilution anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$, all well without 1:32 dilution well were showed strong precipitation line. 5. In dot bloting test to anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ after diluting bee venom(0.5mg/ml), dot bloting color was showed clearly to $1/100(5{\mu}g/ml)$ in bee venom.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.3-8
• /
• 2000

1. Definition : Bee-venom therapy does not involve actual bee-stings: it is a treatment method with acquired bee-venom extract through the electric stimulus on the bee, It is injected subcutaneusly on the acupuncture point after refining, according to the diagnosis of constitution and disease. 2. History : Around 2000 B.C., records that Bee-venom was used for therapy were written in the medical book of Babylonia and Papirus of ancient Egypt. Hippocrates, who is called the father of Medicine, said that Bee-venom is Arcanum, which means mysteric medicine. In Oriental medicine, B.C. 200, there was a clinical record that the meat suspended in front of the bee house on the tree in order to get bee-venom, was attached on the lesion. 3. Mechanism of Action : There are two aspects: 1) The effect of stimulating acupunture point It is similar to the chemical moxa. I think that there are several methods of stimulating the acupuncture point： For example, a simple needle is a mechanical stimulus, Moxa is a heating stimulus and electric and Raser acupunture etc. And another stimulus: in the ancient orient, a chemical stimulus called Chungu(Tianjiu), is attached to the lesions by using grinded insects (ex. Mylaris phalerate PALL.) which have toxin. So Bee venom therapy is similar to this. 2) The effect of biochemical ingredients Bee venom consists of 40 kinds of ingredients. For example, me Iii tin, Apamin, Pospholipase A2, MCD peptide, Adolapin and so on. They have effects which have been proven through experimentation l) tonifying mechanism of the body through increasing hormon secretion 2) tonifying immune system through proliferation of WBC, lymphocytes, macrophage 3) anti-inflammatory reaction Therefore Bee venom therapy is the representative 3rd Medicine, which combined East & West medicine. 4. Application of disease : L.B.P and HIVD, O.A, R.A, degenerative arthritis, shoulder pain and other pain diseases. 5. Therapic methods : According to constitution and disease, proper concentration of bee venom is injected on acupunture point, 2 times a week. Generally one term is consisted of 15times. 6. Contraindication : Heart disease, TBc, DM, kidney disease(nephritis), pregnancy, woman in menstruation 3-4 persons per 100,000 persons may have severe allergic reaction.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.27-36
• /
• 2013

Objectives : The focus of the analysis was laid on changes in research pertaining to bee venom in regards to time progression. Methods : We collected 365 articles on Bee venom study result from OASIS system using the Keyword 'bee venom, apitoxin, apitherapy, bee sting'. We figured out number and percentage of theses according to year, study method, journal, subject. Results : Bee venom papers published in the journal of korean medicine from 1976. The classification of papers associated with bee venom, clinical studies outnumbered the other study types by a ratio of 1.3 to 1, followed by 138 for experimental papers, and 22 for literature studies. Proportion of Experimental Papers Classified According to the Theme, 16 for pain-killing, 14 papers concentrated on apoptosis anticancer, 13 for anti inflammatory, 11 for arthritis, and other disorders were followed. Type analysis of papers associated with bee venom in clinical trials, lumbar disorders comprised 38 out of 205 papers, 35 papers concentrated on upper limb disorders, 34 papers concentrated on systemic disease, followed by the effect on body. Conclusions : Bee venom is a treatment method based on the unique theory of Korean traditional medicine. Its effort and academical approach on bee venom are expected to receive positive evaluation through numerous research works.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.99-102
• /
• 2012

Bee venom (Apis mellifera L. BV) has been used as a cosmetic ingredient for anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity after a single dermal administration of BV, BV was administered to 2 groups of Sprague-Dawley (SD) male and female rats (5 animals/group) at doses of 0 and 1,500 mg/kg body weight (BW). Mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross findings were continually monitored for 15 days following the single dose. There were no unscheduled deaths in any groups during the study period. No BV related clinical signs and body weight changes were observed in any groups during the study period. There were no abnormal gross findings at necropsy on day 15 after the treatment. On the basis of the above results, it was concluded that there were no treatment-related effect on mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross findings in SD rats treated with a single dermal dose of BV at dose of 1,500 mg/kg BW. Therefore, the approximate lethal dose of BV was considered to be over 1,500 mg/kg/day for both sexes of rats. BV may provide a developmental basis for a cosmetic ingredient or external application for topical uses.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.1154-1162
• /
• 2007

This study was to investigate the effects of Bee-venom Treatment on the monosodium iodoacetate(MIA)- induced osteoarthritis in rats. Arthritis was induced by injection of MIA(0.5 mg) into knee joints of rats. Arthritic rats were divided into control(n=8) and treated(n=8) group. Control group was injected with normal saline once a day for 20 days, while treated group was injected with Bee-venom extract once a day for same duration. Body weights were measured at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 days after injection. At the end of experiment, gross and histopathological examination on the articular cartilages of the knee joints were performed. Proteoglycan contents of articular cartilages were analysed by safranine O staining method. The contents of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 in synovial fluids were analysed by ELISA method. And also, COX-2 and iNOS immunohistochemical examination on the knee joints were performed. Body weights of the treated group were increased compared with control group at 20 days after injection. Grossly, the severity of osteoarthritis in the treated group were alleviated compared with control group. PG contents in articular cartilages of the treated group were significantly increased compared with control group. Histopathologically, degenerative and necrotic lesion of articular cartilages in the treated group were alleviated compared with those of the control group. $TNF-{\alpha}$ contents in synovial fluids of the treated group were decreased compared with control group. Positive reactions of COX-2 in chondrocytes and synovial membranes of the treated group were decreased compared with the control group. On the basis of these results, we concluded that Bee-venom treatment has anti-arthritic effects on the monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis in rats. And it's effects were related with reduced secretion of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and COX-2 from osteoarthritic chondrocytes and synovial membranes.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.42-48
• /
• 2020

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory condition which can be studied using phthalic anhydride (PA) to induce AD. Anti-inflammatory properties of bee venom (BV) wereinvestigated to determine whether it may be a useful treatment for AD. Methods: AD was induced by applying to pical PA to 8-week-old HR-1 mice (N = 50), then treating with (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 ㎍) or without topical BV. Body weight, ear thickness histology, enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (serum IgE concentrations), Western blot analysis [inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, IκB-α, phospho-IκB-α, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phospho-JNK, p38, phospho-p38, extra cellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and phospho-ERK], and the pull down assay for immunoblotting (p50), were used to measure inflammatory mediators. Results: PA + BV (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 ㎍) significantly decreased ear thickness without altering body weight. IgE concentrations decreased in the PA + BV (0.5 ㎍)-treated groups compared with PAtreatment. Tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, phospho-IκB-α, phospho-JNK, p38, phospho-p38, and phospho-ERK, all decreased following treatment with PA + BV compared with the PA-treatment alone. p50 was upregulated in the PA + BV-treated groups compared with the PA-treated group. Furthermore, the number of mast cells decreased in the PA + BV-treated groups compared with the PA-treated group. Epidermal thickness was significantly lower in the PA + BV-treated group compared with PA treatment alone. Conclusion: BV maybe a useful anti-inflammatory treatment for AD.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.33-42
• /
• 2001

Objective : To evaluate the effect of treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis by using Bee-venom Acupuncture that is well known for anti-inflammatory effect and function of activating immune system. Methods : Evaluated the result of Bee-venom Acupuncture treatment twice in a week for patients who diagnosised as rheumatoid arthritis by 7 criteria of US Rheumatism Academy. Results : 1. If you see the distribution chart, sexual rate of male and female was 1:2.75 and age distribution shows as age ascend it shows high. 2. If you see the duration distribution, it shows chronic tendency in order of more than 6 months (59.5%), 2 to 5 months, and 1 month. 3. If you see the invaded region distribution, it shows chronic tendency in order of finger(17 cases), wrist joint(16 cases), knee joint(16 cases), ankle joint(10 cases), elbow joint(8 cases), shoulder joint(7 cases), feet(7 cases), hip joint(5 cases), low back(3 cases) and neck(2 cases). 4. If you see the result of duration distribution treatment, the improvement index is rising in order of within a month, 2 to 5 months, and over 6 months. So it shows that it has good result of treatment within a month. 5. If you see the invaded region, it shows high improvement index in order of low back, hop joint, shoulder joint, wrist joint, feet, knee joint, finger, elbow joint, ankle joint and neck. 6. If you see the result of morning stiffness time before treatment, it shows good effect of treatment in order of 2-3hrs, 30min.-an hr, an hr to 2hrs, and 0-30min. 7. If you see the patients satisfaction after Bee-venom Acupuncture treatment, Excellent is 6 cases, Good is 7 cases, and Moderate 2 cases. Conclusions : It will have greater treatment effect if herbal medicine, moxibustion, and acupuncture are used together as patients whole body condition and symptoms with Bee-venom Acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis that is chronic inflammatory disease.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.117-127
• /
• 2006

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of neurodegenerative disease associated with aging in the human population. This disease is characterized by the following 4 structural changes : Atrophy of the Cortex, Parasympathetic, and other neural cells, the existence of Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and the accumulation of Senile plaques. NFTs and Senile plaques is known to be the index of this disease. Senile plaques disturbs the neutro transmission and depletes of Acetylcholine. So, Recovery of Acetylcholine is the primal objective for treating Alzheimer's disease. So, Inhibiting the activity of Acetylcholine Esterase (AChE), which causes the hydrolysus of acetylcholine into choline and acetate, can be seen as a key role for treating Alzheimer's disease. Increasing body of evidence has been demonstrated that Bee Venom Acupuncture (BV) could compete with complex protein involving in multiple step of $NF-_{\kappa}B$ activation and exert the anti-inflammatory potential of combined inhibition of the prostanoid and nitric oxide synthesis systems by inhibition of IKK and $NF-_{\kappa}B$. BV dose-dependently attenuated Scopolamine-induced Acetylcholine esterase activities in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the mice brain. This study therefore suggests that BV acupuncture method may be useful for prevention of development or progression of AD.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.37-51
• /
• 2005

Mast cell is a cell that functions mainly in our body with a respect to inflammation and allergic response. Bee venom has been progressed in a study as a model related to mechanism in alleviation of pain until now, but it is being progressed in a study relevant to immunocyte in anti-inflammation or anti-allergic response. The present study is aimed to present the basis related to a future study of gene, by researching the influence of melittin and MCD Peptide, which are major ingredients in Bee venom, upon the expression of gene in the mast cell strain. In this study, it dealt with melittin and MCD Peptide respectively, in the effective concentration after passing though the experiment of cytotoxicity by using human mast cell strain. Also, with the respect in the aspect of expression in gene that changes at this time, information was obtained through the technique of analyzing microarray. Through experimental statistics, when regarding a case that global M is significant in more than 1 or -1, in melittin, all 7 genes were accelerated, and 8 inhibited. In MCDP, 7 genes were accelerated and 17 genes inhibited. The function in the body to which these genes are related, was associated with the protein binding within a cell, the activation in the function of lymphocyte, the acceptor related to macrophage antigen. In cell nucleus, substance related to GABA A receptor, protein associated with cAMP reactive element, substance related to complement system No.8 and to B-cell, protein substance related to polycystic kidney disease, substance related to inflammation, and the protein substance of influencing coagulation of blood. Through these results of analysis, it could obtain more useful materials in clarifying the mechanism of action in melittin and MCD peptide, which are in charge of mainly medical action in the abdomen. Also, it is thought that an in-depth study on the influence of main ingredients in Bee venom, the wholly honey bee venom aqua upon anti-allergic response or anti-inflammation are further required.