• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2000

This study was designed to examine therapeutic effect of bee(Apis mellifera L.) venom in calves with bacterial diarrhea. Calves with bacterial diarrhea were administered with bee venom and therapeutic drug, respectively. In the bee venom-treated group, 69 calves were acupunctured once a day for 3 conseutive days. Two local acupoints of Jiao-chao(GV-1, at the indentation between the base of tail and the anus) and Bai-hui(GV -20, in the dorsal midline of the lumbo-sacral space) were stung by the bee. In the therapeutic drug-treated group, 55 claves were intramuscularly injected with a standard dosage of antibiotic (ciprofloxacin, 2.5 mg/kg of body weight) and antidiarrheal drug (berberine cholride, 10mg/head) once a day for 3 consecutive days. At post-treatment, 81.2% of the bee venom-treated calves and 76.4% of the therapeutic drugtreated calves were recovered from bacterial diarrhea. Bee acupuncture therapy showed in calves without side effects such as allergy hemorrhage, or infection. It might be concluded that apitherapy was affective in controlling of calves with bacterial diarrhea.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.227-237
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• 2018

The majority parasitic bee mites of Thailand in genus Tropilaelaps are infesting colonies of native bees (Apis dorsata) and introduced bees (A. mellifera). The investigation aims to study morphological and genetic variation of Tropilaelaps mites infected different hosts. Adult mites were collected from honey bee brood throughout Thailand. Traditional and geometrical morphometrics were measured on photograph by using TPS program. Additional, COI gene variations were examined by PCR-RFLP and nucleotides sequencing. Tree of mites relationships were constructed by NJ and MP assumptions. Morphometric results indicated T. mercedesae were major species infesting on A. dorsata and A. mellifera. Mophological variation represented at anal and epigynial plate, which the shape of the anal plate apex margin has been key character to identify between T. mercedesae (bell to blunt shape) and T. koenigerum (pear shape). However, the discriminant analysis suggested that geometric results were potential to classify Thai Tropilaelaps populations from different hosts better than traditional morphometric. Otherwise, PCR-RFLP clearly detected the site of Dra I and Xba I digestion of Thai Tropilaelaps morphotypes. The COI sequences of T. koenigerum were founded infesting only A. dorsata in Thailand and four sequences that related to the Thai T. mercedesae morphotypes. The NJ and MP tree were clearly classified Thai Tropilaelaps species which were suggested both from morphological and molecular analysis. This information might be basically of taxonomic status, but this should have implication for controlling these mites in Thailand and other countries.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 2019

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) forage in agricultural areas, and are exposed to diverse pesticide poisoning. Toxic effects on Apis mellifera of different groups of pesticides were tested in the laboratory; fungicide (Metconazole), herbicide (Glyphosate), acaricide (Amitraz), organophosphate insecticide(Fenitrothion) and neonicotinoid insecticides(Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Dinotefuran and Clothianidin). Commercial formulations were serially diluted from the recommended concentration (RC) to 10-6 times to carry out feeding and contact tests. Toxicity was transformed into lethal dose (LD50) and hazard question (HQ). The acute toxicity of pesticides showed similar patterns between feeding and contact tests. But feeding tests showed greater toxic to honey bee than contact test. The organophosphate and nitro-neonicotinoid insecticides were highly toxic with HQ values ranging greater than 1. However, cyano-neonicotinoids of Thiacloprid and Acetamiprid showed low toxicity. Even at the RC, 24 hr mortalities were 18 and 30%. The acaricide (Amitraz) showed intermediate level of toxicity at RC but negligible at the concentration lower than 10-1 times. A fungicide(Metconazole) and herbicide(Glyphosate) showed minimal impacts. The results imply that the selective use of pesticides could help conservation of pollinators in agricultural production systems.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1495-1505
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• 2023

The western honeybee Apis mellifera L., a vital crop pollinator and producer of honey and royal jelly, faces numerous threats including diseases, chemicals, and mite infestations, causing widespread concern. While extensive research has explored the link between gut microbiota and their hosts. However, the impact of Varroa destructor infestation remains understudied. In this study, we employed massive parallel amplicon sequencing assays to examine the diversity and structure of gut microbial communities in adult bee groups, comparing healthy (NG) and Varroa-infested (VG) samples. Additionally, we analyzed Varroa-infested hives to assess the whole body of larvae. Our results indicated a notable prevalence of the genus Bombella in larvae and the genera Gillamella, unidentified Lactobacillaceae, and Snodgrassella in adult bees. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between NG and VG. Furthermore, our PICRUSt analysis demonstrated distinct KEGG classification patterns between larval and adult bee groups, with larvae displaying a higher abundance of genes involved in cofactor and vitamin production. Notably, despite the complex nature of the honeybee bacterial community, methanogens were found to be present in low abundance in the honeybee microbiota.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2021

The venom of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) is used to treat many diseases because of its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Bee venom consists of several biologically active molecules and exhibits remarkable anti-cancer effects. However, biological amines, which exhibit diverse functionality such as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, have not been previously reported in bee venom. In this study, we determined the content of putrescine in bee venom by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The specificity, accuracy, and precision of the assay were assessed, and the assay validated. The linearity of the putrescine assay was r ≥ 0.99, indicating a moderate level of putrescine in the bee venom. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were both 0.9 ㎍/mL, while the rate of recovery was 96.4%-99.9%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the intra-day precision and inter-day precision of the putrescine assay were 0.16% - 0.23% and 0.09% - 0.36%, respectively, with the RSD ≤ 5% indicating excellent precision. Thus, the linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, and recovery rate of the putrescine assay were satisfactory. The analysis of the bee venom showed that the putrescine content was 3.1 ± 0.09 mg/g. This study provides fundamental data on putrescine content in bee venom, which will prove useful in further studies of its bioactivity.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.150-154
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• 1999

This study was designed to examine the therapeutic effect of Italian honeybee (Apis mellifera) venom in piglets with bacterial diarrhea. Preweaning piglets were assigned to treated and nontreated control groups. In treated group, 47 piglets were given natural honeybee venom once a day for 3 consecutive days. The natural honeybees were stung acupoints of GV-1 (Jiao-Chao, at the indentation between the base of tail and the anus) and ST-25 (Hai-men, about 1 cm lateral to the umbilicus). In control group, 44 piglets were intramuscularly injected with a standard dosage of colistin sulfate (300,000 IU/kg of body weight) and antid-iarrheal drug (berberine, 2 ml/kg) once a day for 3 consecutive days. At post-treatment, 90.9% of control piglets and 93.6 % of piglets in treated group recovered from bacterial diarrhea. Bee acupuncture therapy did not show in piglets without any side effects such as allergy, intoxication, hemorrhage, or infection. It might be concluded that honeybee venom therapy was effective in controlling of piglets with bacterial diarrhea.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.303-306
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• 2018

Drones of honeybee (Apis mellifera) have been regarded as a useful value only when mating with queen bee. However, the drone pupae have been reported to be nutritionally valuable, and a potential beekeeping product. In this study, drone pupae extracted with 5% acetic acid were used to measure anti-thrombosis related fibrinolytic activity using Strup and Mullertz fibrin plate method. As a result, the drone pupae extract showed higher effect of fibrinolytic activity(clear zone diameter 20.83mm) compared to the human plasmin (clear zone diameter 12.93mm) used as a positive control. It was suggested that the extract of drone pupae can be developed as a functional material helping prevention or treatment of various vascular diseases.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2019

Bee's population is declining and disappearing at alarming rate. There are many factors responsible for declining the population of bees including diseases, natural enemies, environmental conditions and pesticides. Insecticides play its role dramatically for their population decline and neonicotinoid insecticides are critically important due to their wide application for pest control. Keeping in view of above problem, effect of neonicotinoid insecticides on olfactory learning behavior in Apis mellifera was observed using Proboscis Extension Reflex (PER) method. In this method, bees were harnessed in centrifuges tubes and feed on insecticides mixed sugar solution after three hours hunger. Bees were checked by feeding on non-treated sugar solution to observe PER response. Minimum proboscis extension was observed for acetamiprid and imidacloprid with 26% and 20% respectively at their recommend field doses while it was maximum for dinotefuran and thiamethoxam with 73% and 60% respectively. Only 40% bees showed response when exposed at 1/10 concentration of field dose for imidacloprid and the least at 1/100 of field dose. At control (Sugar solution) about 90% bees showed PER response. Among these neonicotinoid insecticides tested, imidacloprid and acetamiprid were the most damaging which impaired the olfactory learning performance in Apis mellifera.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.203-207
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• 2015

This study was performed to examine the antigenic potential of purified bee venom (Apis mellifera L., PBV) collected using bee venom collector. Antigenic potential of PBV was examined by active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) in guinea pigs. PBV was subcutaneously administered at 0.025 and 0.05 mg/kg and also as a suspension with adjuvant (Freund's complete adjuvant, FCA). Ovalbumin (OVA) as a suspension with adjuvant was used to introduce positive control response. In the weight measurement and clinical observation, experimental groups didn't show any significant changes compared with control group. In the autopsy of body, the abnormalities of lung were detected only in the positive control. In the ASA test, experimental groups didn't show any symptoms of anaphylaxis like piloerection, hyperpnea and staggering gait. These results suggested that PBV didn't have antigenic potential in guinea pig.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.7-11
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• 2015

Objectives: Bee venom (BV) is a complex mixture of proteins and contains proteins such as phospholipase and melittin, which have an effect on blood clotting and blood clots. The mechanism of action of honey bee venom (HBV, Apis mellifera) on human plasma proteins and its anti-thrombotic effect were studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-coagulation effect of BV and its effects on blood coagulation and purification. Methods: Crude venom obtained from Apis mellifera was selected. The anti-coagulation factor of the crude venom from this species was purified by using gel filtration chromatography (sephadex G-50), and the molecular weights of the anti-coagulants in this venom estimated by using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Blood samples were obtained from 10 rabbits, and the prothrombin time (PT) and the partial thromboplastin time (PTT) tests were conducted. The approximate lethal dose (LD) values of BV were determined. Results: Crude BV increased the blood clotting time. For BV concentrations from 1 to 4 mg/mL, clotting was not observed even at more than 300 seconds, standard deviations $(SDs)={\pm}0.71$; however, clotting was observed in the control group 13.8 s, $SDs={\pm}0.52$. Thus, BV can be considered as containing anti-coagulation factors. Crude BV is composed 4 protein bands with molecular weights of 3, 15, 20 and 41 kilodalton (kDa), respectively. The $LD_{50}$ of the crude BV was found to be $177.8{\mu}g/mouse$. Conclusion: BV contains anti-coagulation factors. The fraction extracted from the Iranian bees contains proteins that are similar to anti-coagulation proteins, such as phospholipase $A_2(PLA_2)$ and melittin, and that can increase the blood clotting times in vitro.