• 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 Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2011

The study of irritation and toxicity of honeybee(Apis mellifera. L) venom collected by a bee venom collector applied topically to the skin and mucous membrane were carried out to prove the safety of honeybee venom in clinical use. Animal for the research was the rabbit and the solution for the test was made from honeybee venom. Six animals were used for the skin test and nine animals were used for the eye mucous membrane test. In results, both tests proved that honeybee venom makes no irritable reaction on skin and eye mucous membrane of rabbit. We consider that this result is helpful for saying about the safety of honeybee venom in clinical use.

• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.17-21
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• 2020

The response of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) pollination on canola yield with reference to most suitable number of bee hive need per unit area of crops in order to meet optimum pollination needs and better economic yields by comparing number of hives and yield components an experiment was conducted at Beekeeping and Hill Fruit Pests Research, Station Rawalpindi during 2017-18 in complete randomized block design with two sets of four treatments for comparison: 1 hive acre^-1, 2 hives acre^-1, 3 hives acre^-1 and 0 hive acre^-1. The hives were kept inside the experimental area. Parameters were assessed: pollination density, pollinator's diversity, agronomic and economic yield. In case of pollination density, the cumulative mean abundance bee species revealed that at 1200 hours, Apis mellifera was the most abundant and frequent visitor with a mean population of 8.69 bees/plant followed by A. dorsata (0.72), Syrphid fly (0.2) and other pollinators. Minimum bee population was observed during 1400 hours, mainly due to the closure of flowers and partially due to high temperature (>35℃). Pollinator diversity revealed that A. mellifera was the most dominant pollinator of Brassica crop with highest abundance (71%). A. dosata ranked 2^nd (16%) followed by A. florea (6%) respectively.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2016

The aim of the study was performed to examine the anticariogenic potential of purified bee venom (Apis mellifera L., PBV) collected using bee venom collector from cariogenic bacteria, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. The anticariogenic effect of purified bee venom was evaluated by agar well diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentraion (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and postantibiotic effect (PAE). The human lower gingiva epithelial cell cytotoxicity of purified bee venom was also evaluated. Purified bee venom exhibited significant inhibition of bacterial growth of S. mutans, S. sanguis, P. gingivalis, and F. nucleatum with MIC value of 0.68, 0.85, 3.49, and $2.79{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The MBC value of purified bee venom against S. mutans, S. sanguis, P. gingivalis, and F. nucleatum was 1.34, 1.67, 8.5, and $6.8{\mu}g/ml$. Furthermore, the results of PAE values against S. mutans, S. sanguis, P. gingivalis, and F. nucleatum showed the bacterial effect with 3.3, 3.45, 2.0, and 2.0. The concentration below 1 mg/ml of purified bee venom had no cytotoxicity in the human lower gingiva epithelial cell. These results suggested that purified bee venom have great potenial as anticariogenic agents.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.293-298
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• 2008

This study was surveyed the effects by pollinating activity of Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris released in the paprika vinyl-houses. The foraging activity and behaviour of A. mellifera and B. terrestris visited on the paprika flowers were nearly alike. The pick times of pollinating activity by A. mellifera and B. terrestris were showed the hightest at 11:00 and 15:00, and 09:00 to 11:00, respectively. The rate of fruit set by A. mellifera and B. terrestris released for pollinating paprika were same level with 94%, and these rate were higher than the fruit setting rate which was 92% by fan operated. The qualities of paprika produced by pollinators released were higher than those by fan operated. And weight per fruit, number of seeds per fruit and economical profit per 2,310 $m^2$ were over 10% higher than those by fan operated. Therefore the economical effects by the pollinating activities of A. mellifera and B. terrestris released in the paprika vinyl-houses were obviously demonstrated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.69-69
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• 2003

We took the nationwide survey of three main honeybee diseases, European foulbrood (EFB; Melissococcus pluton), chalk brood (CB; Ascosphera apis), and nosema (Nosema spp.) in 2001 and 2002 from South Korea. The number of infected apiaries with EFB and CB examined from 21 apiaries were 9 and 13, respectively. The average percentages of infectedcolonies in apiaries where EFB and CB occurred were 7.4% and 12.8%. (omitted)

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.173-177
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• 2009

The in vitro antibacterial activities of honeybee(Apis mellifera. L) venom collected by a bee venom collector were investigated against several bacteria including antibiotic-susceptible and resistant Propionibacterium acnes. Honeybee venom was prepared with different concentrations and they showed strong antibacterial activites. Honeybee venom inhibited the growth of the tested antibiotic-resistant P. acnes at the concentration of 1 mg/ml. The inhibitory activities of the honeybee venom showed time-dependent manner. Honeybee venom did not influence the viability of human dermal fibroblast at the high concentration of less than 10 mg/ml. From these results, we expect that honeybee venom has strong antibacterial activities and has advantage for treating cure.