• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.15-46
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was performed to analyse the effects of Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV) on cardiovascular system in the conscious telemetered Beagle Dogs. Methods: All experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical studies authorized institution, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Male Beagle dogs of 13-19 months old were chosen for the pilot study and surgical implantation was performed for conscious telemetered Beagle dogs. And after confirming condition of Beagle dogs was stable, Sweet BV was administered 4 times(first: 0.0 mg/kg, 2nd: 0.01 mg/kg, 3rd: 0.1 mg/kg, and forth: 0.5 mg/kg, one time/week) in thigh muscle of Beagle dogs. And blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiography and clinical responses were measured. Equal amount of normal saline to the Sweet BV experiment groups was administered to the control group. Results: 1. In the analysis of body weight and taking amount, Beagle dogs did not show significant changes. 2. In the clinical observation, responses of pain and edema were showed depend on dosage of Sweet BV. 3. In the analysis of blood pressure, treatment with Sweet BV did not show significant changes in the dosage of 0.01 mg/kg, but in the dosage of 0.1 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg, treatment with Sweet BV increased blood pressure significantly. 4. In the analysis of heart rate, treatment of Sweet BV did not show significant changes in all dosage and period. 5. In the analysis of electrocardiography, treatment of Sweet BV was not showed significant changes in all dosage and period. Conclusion: Above findings suggest that Sweet BV is relatively safe treatment in the cardiovascular system. But in the using of over dosage, Sweet BV may the cause of increasing blood pressure. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2006

Objectives : The aim of this study was to observe prevention of allergic reactions of Sweet Bee Venom (removing enzyme components from Bee Venom). Methods: Content analysis of Sweet Bee Venom and Bee Venom was rendered using HPLC method and characterization of Anti-Sweet Bee Venom in Rabbit Serum. Clinical observation was conducted for inducement of allergic responses to Sweet BV. Results : 1. Analyzing melittin content using HPLC, Sweet BV contained 34.9% more melittin than Bee venom pharmacopuncture at same concentration. 2. Observing chromatogram of HPLC, removal of the enzyme was successfully rendered on Sweet BV. 3. The anti-serum of Sweet BV showed high titers against melittin and bee venom and relatively low titer against phospholipase A2. 4. After conducting approximately 3,000 cases of Sweet BV administration, not a single case of generalized anaphylatic reaction occurred in clinical observation. 5. Mild compared to the bee venom pharmacopuncture, Sweet BV showed some acute hypersensitive reactions of edema, itchiness, and aching locally. 6. Sweet BV was administered on six patients with previous history of suffering from generalized acute hypersensitive reactions with the bee venom. None of the patients showed allergic reactions with Sweet BV, suggesting it can effectively prevent anaphylatic shock which may occur after the bee venom pharmacopuncture procedure. Conclusion : Summarizing above results, Sweet Bee Venom appears to be an effective measurement against allergic reactions from the bee venom pharmacopuncture especially against anaphylatic shock.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.33-50
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was conducted to confirm validation and stability of concentration analysis method of pure melittin (Sweet Bee Venom-Sweet BV) extracted from the bee venom by utilizing protein isolation method of gel filtration. Methods : All experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech, a non-clinical studies authorized institution, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Standard solutions of melittin (SIGMA, USA) and test substances were dispensed and were analyzed with HPLC for Sweet BV to secure the validation of analysis. Results : 1. Measurement of system suitability of Sweet BV satisfied criterion of below 3%. 2. Confirming Linearity of Sweet BV in 10-200${\mu}g/m\ell$ solution yielded correlation coefficient (r) of 0.995 and accuracy of 85-115% which satisfy criterion. 3. Measurement of Specificity of Sweet BV didn't yield any substance affecting the peak of test substances, but detected at 21.22min verified as the test substance. 4. Confirming Intra-day of Sweet BV, accuracy and precision of 0.1, 100${\mu}g/m\ell$ were 105.70, 95.81 and 0.66, 0.73, respectively, satisfying both criteria of accuracy (85-115%) and precision (within 10%). 5. To measure Stability in autosampler, all samples used in Intra-day reproducibility sat in the autosampler for five hours and were re-analyzed. Both variability and precision satisfied the criteria. 6. Homogeneity of Sweet BV (0.1, 100${\mu}g/m\ell$) at upper, middle, and lower layers all satisfied the accuracy and precision criteria. 7. Stability of Sweet BV (0.1, 100${\mu}g/m\ell$) at room temperature for four hours and refrigerated for 7 days all satisfied the criterion. 8. For the measurement of Quality control, QC samples measured on the first and eighth day all satisfied accuracy and precision criteria. Conclusion : Above experiment data satisfies validation and stability of concentration analysis method of Sweet BV.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2009

Objective : Patients with spinal cord injury are increasing in numbers. However, there is no reliable treatment guide in both conventional & complementary medicine. Also, there are not much clinical case of patients with spina cord injury in oriental medical field. We investigated effect of sweet BV on subacute stage patient with spinal cord injury. Method : 31-year old female patient with spinal cord injury was treated with herb medicine(TID), electro arcupunture (BID), sweet BV injection(QOD), Physical treatment(QD), and conventional-medicine. Result : We had a satisfactory result with using sweet BV injection. The patient's ASIA grade improved from 34 to 52. And Frankle classification of the patient shifted from A to B. Conclusion : We reach a conclusion Using Sweet BV improve the sensation of patient with spinal cord injury. And more study about this disease is needed.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.43-61
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was performed to analyse single dose toxicity of Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV) extracted from the bee venom in Beagle dogs. Methods : All experiments were conducted under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical study authorized institution. Male and female Beagle dogs of 5-6 months old were chosen for the pilot study of single dose toxicity of Sweet BV which was administered at the level of 9.0 mg/kg body weight which is 1300 times higher than the clinical application dosage as the high dosage, followed by 3.0 and 1.0 mg/kg as midium and low dosage, respectively. Equal amount of excipient(normal saline) to the Sweet BV experiment groups was administered as the control group. Results : 1. No mortality was witnessed in all of the experiment groups. 2. Hyperemia and movement disorder were observed around the area of administration in all the experiment groups, and higher occurrence in the higher dosage treatment. 3. For weight measurement, Neither male nor female groups showed significant changes. 4. To verify abnormalities of organs and tissues, thigh muscle which treated with Sweet BV, brain, liver, lung, kidney, and spinal cords were removed and histologocal observation using H-E staining was conducted. In the histologocal observation of thigh muscle, cell infiltration, inflammation, degeneration, necrosis of muscle fiber, and fibrosis were found in both thigh tissue. And the changes depend on the dose of Sweet BV. But the other organs did not showed in any abnormality. 5. The maximum dose of Sweet BV in Beagle dogs were over 9 mg/kg in this study. Conclusions : The above findings of this study suggest that Sweet BV is a relatively safe treatment medium. Further studies on the toxicity of Sweet BV should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2010

Objectives : This study is to report the percentage of localized itching which occurred, when we injected to patients with Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV). Methods : We investigated 374 patients who had injected with Sweet BV in our clinic from February 15. 2009 to April 30, 2010. We checked the number and percentage of patients who occured localized itching on injection area. Then we analyzed those according to times in treatment, the body parts of injection and treatment dosage. Results and Conclusion : Localized itching was lower by 1.60% in the first treatment with Sweet BV. However localized itching was 12.83% in the whole course of treatment, which showed a similar incidence of 13% in Bee Venom. Therefore it can be interpreted that Sweet BV may help suppress the immune responses such as itching in the initial treatment, but the occurrence of local immune responses of Sweet BV may be similar to that of Bee Venom in continued treatment. We suppose that we should be careful of the occurrence of local immune responses as Bee Venom at least until the fourth treatment in clinical application with Sweet BV, although localized itching did not occur in the first treatment. Also we should be careful of treatment with Sweet BV in body parts, such as wrist, hand, chest and abdominal, because the percentage of localized itching was relatively high in those parts.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.19-45
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was performed to analyse the effects of Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV-pure melittin, the major component of honey bee venom) on the central nervous system in rats. Methods: All experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical studies authorized institution, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Male rats of 5 weeks old were chosen for this study and after confirming condition of rats was stable, Sweet BV was administered in thigh muscle of rats. And checked the effects of Sweet BV on the central nervous system using the functional observational battery (FOB), which is a neuro-toxicity screening assay composed of 30 descriptive, scalar, binary, and continuous endpoints. And home cage observations, home cage removal and handling, open field activity, sensorimotor reflex test/physiological measurements were conducted. Results: 1. In the home cage observation, there was not observed any abnormal signs in rats. 2. In the observation of open field activity, the reduction of number of unit areas crossed and rearing count was observed caused by Sweet BV treatment. 3. In the observation of handling reactivity, there was not observed any abnormal signs in rats. 4. In the observation of sensorimotor reflex tests/physiological measurements, there was not observed any neurotoxic signs in rats. 5. In the measurement of rectal temperature, treatment of Sweet BV did not showed great influences in the body temperature of rats. Conclusions: Above findings suggest that Sweet BV is relatively safe treatment in the central nervous system. But in the using of over dose, Sweet BV may the cause of local pain and disturbance of movement. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.914-918
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• 2009

Recently, according to increasing population to enjoy sports, Shoulder Impingement Syndrome occurred frequently. In this report, we introduce a case suffered from chronic shoulder pain, ROM restriction because of Shoulder Impingement Syndrome treated by Sweet BV acupuncture. Sweet BV acupuncture maintains the BV acupuncture effects and restricts allergic reaction at the same time. In this report, Sweet BV acupuncture is a new therapy that have a safety and efficiency simultaneously.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was carried out to compare the Sweet Bee Venom (referred to as Sweet BV hereafter) acupuncture parallel treatment to treatment with acupuncture only for the patient diagnosed with lumbar spine sprain and find a better treatment. Methods : The subjects were patients diagnosed with lumbar spine sprain and hospitalized at Suncheon oriental medical hospital, which was randomly divided into sweet BV parallel treatment group and acupuncture-only group, and other treatment conditions were maintained the same. Then, VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) was used to compare the difference in the treatment period between the two groups from VAS 10 to VAS 0, from VAS 10 to VAS 5, and from VAS 5 to VAS 0. Result & Conclusion : Sweet BV parallel treatment group and acupuncture-only treatment group were compared regarding the respective treatment period, and as the result, the treatment period from VAS 10 to VAS 5 was significantly reduced in sweet BV parallel treatment group compared to the acupuncture-only treatment group, but the treatment period from VAS 5 to VAS 0 did not show a significant difference. Therefore, it can be said that sweet BV parallel treatment is effective in shortening the treatment period and controlling early pain compared to acupuncture-only treatment.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.259-265
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to report the improvement after Sweet BV herbal acupuncture therapy of shoulder impingement syndrome with Subacromial bursitis. Methods : We treated a patient having shoulder pain due to shoulder impingement syndrome with Sweet BV herbal acupuncture therapy. We checked visual analogue scale (VAS) score and range of movement (ROM). Results : We treated shoulder pain. Thereafter ROM improved and VAS score dropped to the level 3 points from 10 points at onset. Conclusions : This report shows Sweet BV herbal acupuncture therapy has effectiveness on shoulder impingement syndrome with Subacromial bursitis.