• Journal of Apiculture
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.283-295
• /
• 2018

As Sacbrood virus (SBV), a causative agent of larval death and colony collapse in Apis cerana honey bee, is prevalent and poses one of the most significant threats to the Korean apiculture, development of methods to counter this viral disease is urgently needed. In this study we tested some SBV controlling methods, such as requeen, shook swam, adding Apis mellifera and spraying yogurt to SBV inoculated colony. Colony size measured by number of sealed brood and adult were evaluated every 15 days until two months while instances of recurrence were recorded up to five months after applying treatment methods. We also test the effects of yogurt on healthy and SBV-infected larvae at both in vitro reared larvae and colony level. Our result showed that all SBV controlling methods had similar success rates with respect to elimination of SBV clinical symptom up to 30 days post treatment. Mix-species and spraying yogurt method had similar pattern of sealed brood and adult number and higher than that of other SBV controlling methods up to 45 days post treatment. These two groups also showed the lower percentage of SBV recurrence (50% and 66.7%) at 120 days post treatment than other group that mostly colony had clinical symptom. Result on in vitro reared larvae challenged with yogurt showed that yogurt have neither harmless on healthy larvae nor remedial effect on SBV infected larvae. However, at colony level, colony in group received yogurt treatment removed significantly more SBV-infected larvae, SBV-killed larvae, and even healthy larvae in comparison to the control, suggested that yogurt could trigger the hygienic behavior of nurse bee. Our results recommended that it is practical in beekeeping by adding A. mellifera and spraying yogurt to control SBV in A. cerana colony.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.254-263
• /
• 2010

Objectives : The neuroprotective effects of bee venom (BV) have been demonstrated in many studies, but bee venom has many side effects. So we used sweet bee venom (SBV), which has high molecular elements removed to reduce the side effects. I examined the neuroprotective effect of sweet bee venom in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine ($MPP^+$)-induced human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Methods : To observe the possible toxicity of SBV itself, SH-SY5Y cells were treated with SBV in various concentrations for 3 h and $MPP^+$ in concentrations (1 and 5mM) for 24h. To investigate the protective effect of SBV against $MPP^+$ toxicity, SH-SY5Y cells were pretreated with vehicle or nontoxic concentrations of SBV for 3h and the cells were not washed, followed by incubation with respective concentrations of SBV and 1 mM $MPP^+$ for 24h. To investigate the protective effect of SBV against $MPP^+$ toxicity, SH-SY5Y cells were pretreated with vehicle or nontoxic concentrations of SBV for 3h and the cells were not washed, followed by incubation with respective of SBV(0.5%), 1 mM $MPP^+$, 5uM AKT inhibitor(LY984002) and 10uM ERK inhibitor(PD98059) for 24 h. The protective effect was measured by cell viability assay. To investigate the degree of apoptosis, caspase-3 enzyme activity was measured in control, $MPP^+$, SBV+$MPP^+$. Results : SBV (0.5%) pretreatment protected the SH-SY5Y cells against $MPP^+$-induced apoptotic cell death. The cell viability was higher in the SH-SY5Y cells that were pretreated with vehicle or nontoxic concentrations of SBV than those not pretreated. The caspase-3 activity was lower in the pretreated groups than these not pretreated. ERK and AKT enzymes have a role in the neuroprotective effects of the sweet bee venom. Conclusions : The results demonstrate that SBV has a protective effect on dopaminergic neurons against $MPP^+$ toxicity. This data suggest that SBV could be a potential therapeutic tool for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease(PD).

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.45-50
• /
• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the antifungal effect of bee venom (BV) and sweet bee venom (SBV) against Candida albicans (C. albicans) clinical isolates. Methods: In this study, BV and SBV were examined for antifungal activities against the Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC) strain and 10 clinical isolates of C. albicans. The disk diffusion method was used to measure the antifungal activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays were performed by using a broth microdilution method. Also, a killing curve assay was conducted to investigate the kinetics of the anti-fungal action. Results: BV and SBV showed antifungal activity against 10 clinical isolates of C. albicans that were cultured from blood and the vagina by using disk diffusion method. The MIC values obtained for clinical isolates by using the broth microdilution method varied from $62.5{\mu}g/mL$ to $125{\mu}g/mL$ for BV and from $15.63{\mu}g/mL$ to $62.5{\mu}g/mL$ for SBV. In the killing-curve assay, SBV behaved as amphotericin B, which was used as positive control, did. The antifungal efficacy of SBV was much higher than that of BV. Conclusion: BV and SBV showed antifungal activity against C. albicans clinical strains that were isolated from blood and the vagina. Especially, SBV might be a candidate for a new antifungal agent against C. albicans clinical isolates.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.59-62
• /
• 2015

Objectives: A previous study showed that bee venom (BV) could cause anaphylaxis or other hypersensitivity reactions. Although hypersensitivity reactions due to sweet bee venom (SBV) have been reported, SBV has been reported to be associated with significantly reduced sensitization compared to BV. Although no systemic immediate hypersensitive response accompanied by abnormal vital signs has been reported with respect to SBV, we report a systemic immediate hypersensitive response that we experienced while trying to use SBV clinically. Methods: The patient had undergone BV treatment several times at other Oriental medicine clinics and had experienced no adverse reactions. She came to acupuncture & moxibustion department at Semyung university hospital of Oriental medicine (Je-cheon, Korea) complaining of facial hypoesthesia and was treated using SBV injections, her first SBV treatment. SBV, 0.05 cc, was injected at each of 8 acupoints, for a total of 0.40 cc: Jichang (ST4), Daeyeong (ST5), Hyeopgeo (ST6), Hagwan (ST7), Yepung (TE17), Imun (TE21), Cheonghoe (GB2), and Gwallyeo (SI18). Results: The patient showed systemic immediate hypersensitive reactions. The main symptoms were abdominal pain, nausea and perspiration, but common symptoms associated with hypersensitivity, such as edema, were mild. Abdominal pain was the most long-lasting symptom and was accompanied by nausea. Her body temperature decreased due to sweating. Her diastolic blood pressure could not be measured on three occasions. She remained alert, though the symptoms persisted. The following treatments were conducted in sequence; intramuscular epinephrine, 1 mg/mL, injection, intramuscular dexamethasone, 5 mg/mL, injection, intramuscular buscopan, 20 mg/mL, injection, oxygen ($O_2$) inhalation therapy, 1 L/minutes, via a nasal prong, and intravascular injection of normal saline, 1 L. After 12 hours of treatment, the symptoms had completely disappeared. Conclusion: This case shows that the use of SBV does not completely eliminate the possibility of hypersensitivity and that patients who received BV treatment before may also be sensitized to SBV. Thus, a skin test should be given prior to using SBV.

• Journal of Apiculture
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.89-97
• /
• 2017

korean Sacbrood Virus (kSBV) was firstly found since 2008 in Korea, and it might be a main reason why 99% of populations belonged to Apis cerana in Korea were disappeared now. In this study, full length, reported DNA sequences of 32 Sacbrood Viruses (SBVs) were analysed based on alignments using nucleotides and/or deduced amino acid sequeces. In this analysis, variable deletions were found that are located around 2,100 bases in each CDS of SBVs. The genotyping depended on these deletions might be related with infection-patterns by these pathogens. In addition, it is not escaped our notice that the genotyping we have proposed immediately suggests a possible origin of kSBV for the quarantine and protection against further invasion.

• Journal of Apiculture
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.281-293
• /
• 2017

Sacbrood virus (SBV) is one of the main pathogenic RNA viruses of honeybee. SBV is found worldwide and many local strains have been reported, such as kSBV, cSBV, and wSBV. In this study, SBV-specific DNA fragments were cloned and sequenced by reverse-transcription PCR from 4 populations of A. mellifera, 4 sequences from 1 population belonged to the 2134D51 genotype (349 nucleotides, nt) and 12 sequences from 3 populations belonged to the 2100D0 genotype (400 nt) among the 16 determined sequences. A total of 87 points of mismatches were found by comparison with the most similar sequences in GenBank. Seventeen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were detected, and 6 SNP-patterns in the 2100D0 genotype and 2 SNP-patterns in the 2134D51 genotype were identified based on SNP positions. In SNP-pattern 2, 10 SNPs were detected, but only 2 SNPs were found in SNP-pattern7. Meanwhile, one SNP-pattern was found from one RNA-sample, multi SNP-patterns were detected from other RNA-samples. Large numbers of SNP variants indicate that vast numbers of point-mutations on SBV have occurred since SBV invaded Korea and that SNP smay have been introduced individually over time. Thorough analysis of SNP variants will not only define the local infection-route, but also the relationships between SNP-pattern and SBV-pathogenic abilities.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.173-176
• /
• 2020

Sweet bee venom (SBV) causes less hypersensitivity reactions compared with whole bee venom. To determine the appropriate SBV initial dose for pharmacopuncture treatment of lower back pain, the initial dose, and the dose which caused hypersensitivity were retrospectively reviewed between January 1^st, 2017 and December 31^st, 2019. There were 523 first-visit patients who received SBV pharmacopuncture for lower back pain and 41 showed hypersensitivity. No systemic reactions were observed and localized reactions were not severe. Hypersensitivity was observed during the first (7 cases), and fifth treatments (8 cases). An initial SBV (10%) volume of 0.1 mL was used in 2 cases, 0.2 mL in 6 cases, 0.6 mL in 41 cases, and 1.2 mL in 474 cases. The hypersensitivity rate during the first and fifth treatment was 1.34% and 1.53%, respectively. As a result, 1.2 mL of SBV was considered the acceptable initial dose. However, for safer treatment, we recommend limiting the initial dose of SBV to 0.5 mL.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.41-54
• /
• 2008

Objective : In this study, we investigated the effects of Sweet Bee Venom(SBV) and Bee Venom(BV) at a acupoint, HT7(Shinmun) on the Heart Rate Variability(HRV) in the healthy man. And we tried to observe how Sweet Bee Venom and Bee Venom affects on the balance of the autonomic nervous system. Methods : We investigated on 22 heathy volunteers consisted of 10 subjects in SBV group and 12 subjects in BV group. Study form was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. 22 subjects of each group were injected SBV and BV at HT7(Shinmun). And we measured HRV by QECG-3:LXC3203 (LAXTHA Inc. Korea) on 7 times : before and after injection per 5minutes during 30minutes. Results : 1. After SBV injection, Mean-RR was significantly high from 0 to 10 minutes, Mean-HRV was significantly low from to 10 minutes, SDNN was significantly high after 25minutes, Complexity was significantly high from 5 to 10 minutes and RMSSD was significantly high from 5 to 10minutes. 2. Complexity of SBV Group significantly decreased from 20 to 25minutes, RMSSD of SBV Group significantly increased from 10 to 15minute and from $20{\sim}25$minutes, SDSD of SBV Group significantly increased from 10 to 15 minute and from $20{\sim}25$minutes compared with that of BV group. 3. After SBV injection, Ln(VLF) was significantly from 25 to 30minutes. Conclusions : The results suggest that SBV in heathy adult man tend to activate the autonomic nervous system compared to BV within normal range.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.49-56
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Anaphylactic shock can be fatal to people who become hypersensitive when bee venom pharmacopuncture (BVP) is used. Thus, sweet bee venom (SBV) was developed to reduce these allergic responses. SBV is almost pure melittin, and SBV has been reported to have fewer allergic responses than BVP. BVP has been administered only into acupoints or intramuscularly, but we thought that intravenous injection might be possible if SBV were shown to be a safe medium. The aim of this study is to evaluate the intravenous injection toxicity of SBV through a single-dose test in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Male and female 6-week-old SD rats were injected intravenously with SBV (high dosage: 1.0 mL/animal; medium dosage: 0.5 mL/animal; low dosage: 0.1 mL/animal). Normal saline was injected into the control group in a similar method. We conducted clinical observations, body weight measurements, and hematology, biochemistry, and histological observations. Results: No death was observed in any of the experimental groups. Hyperemia was observed in the high and the medium dosage groups on the injection day, but from next day, no general symptoms were observed in any of the experimental groups. No significant changes due to intravenous SBV injection were observed in the weights, in the hematology, biochemistry, and histological observations, and in the local tolerance tests. Conclusion: The results of this study confirm that the lethal dose of SBV is over 1.0 mL/animal in SD rats and that the intravenous injection of SBV is safe in SD rats.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.85-90
• /
• 2009

Objectives : Sweet bee venom(SBV) is pure melittin, the main component of bee venom, made by removing another components through gel filtration chromatography and propionic acid/urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the using SBV, 2 patients were experienced anaphylaxis by SBV. So, we reported the process of anaphylaxis and consider these situation. Methods : We observed 2 patients suffered from anaphylaxis after treated with SBV in the Korean Medical Hospital, Sangji University. Results : Though SBV was removed allergen from bee venom, it is not possible to complete prevention of anaphylactic shock in the clinics. So, Korean medical doctor using BV or SBV must be prepare the system consider a countermeasure by anaphylaxis.