• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.43-48
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• 2013

Objectives: The current study was performed to compare the bee venom pharmacopuncture skin test reactions among groups with different sexes and Sasang constitutions. Methods: Between July 2012 and June 2013, all 76 patients who underwent bee venom pharmacopuncture skin tests and Sasang constitution diagnoses at Oriental Medicine Hospital of Sangji University were included in this study. The skin test was performed on the patient's forearm intracutaneously with 0.05 ml of sweet bee venom (SBV) on their first visit. If the patients showed a positive response, the test was discontinued. On the other hand, if the patient showed a negative response, the test was performed on the opposite forearm intracutaneously with 0.05 ml of bee venom pharmacopuncture 25% on the next day or the next visit. Three groups were made to compare the differences in the bee venom pharmacopuncture skin tests according to sexual difference and Sasang constitution: group A showed a positive response to SBV, group B showed a positive response to bee venom pharmacopuncture 25%, and group C showed a negative response on all bee venom pharmacopuncture skin tests. Fisher's exact test was performed to evaluate the differences statistically. Results: The results of the bee venom pharmacopuncture skin tests showed no significant differences according to Sasang constitution (P = 0.300) or sexual difference (P = 0.163). Conclusion: No significant differences on the results of bee venom pharmacopuncture skin tests were observed according to two factors, Sasang constitution and the sexual difference.

• 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 Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.37-47
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• 2011

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture on the post-stroke hemiplegic shoulder pain. Methods : 40 patients with post-stroke hemiplegic shoulder pain were randomly divided into 2 groups : study group(sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture treatment group, n=21) and Control group(normal saline treatment group, n=19). They were monitored for 4 weeks, followed up with visual analog scale(VAS), pain rating score(PRS), painless passive shoulder range of movement(PROM) and Fugl-Meyer Motor assessment(FMMA) at before treatment(T0), after 2 weeks(T2) and after 4 weeks(T4). Results : 1. Study group and control group showed pain decrease, but study group showed more significant effectiveness in VAS and PRS than control group. 2. Although there is no significant difference in PROM between study group and control group, both groups showed increase of PROM, and study group had some effectiveness on abduction and flexion as the treatment progresses. 3. There is no significant difference in FMMA between study group and control group. Conclusions : This study suggests that sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture has significant analgesic effect on the post-stroke hemiplegic shoulder pain. And it seems that sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture can be applicable to improve PROM in hemiplegia patients with stroke. Further studies based on larger population and long term follow-up are needed to confirm this suggestion.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.15-27
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of cotreatment with $Samgieum-gagam$, acupuncture and sweet bee venom acupuncture on post-stroke shoulder pain. Methods : The subjects in this study were 43 patients with post-stroke hemiplegic shoulder pain. These patients were randomly divided into four groups : the group treated with acupuncture, the group cotreated with acupuncture and sweet bee venom acupuncture, the group cotreated with acupuncture and $Samgieum-gagam$, the group cotreated with acupuncture, sweet bee venom acupuncture and Samgieumgagam, They were treated for 4 weeks, and the effectiveness was assessed by visual analogue scale(VAS), Fugl-Meyer motor assessment(FMMA), painless passive ROM of shoulder external rotation(PROM), Modified Ashworth sacle(MAS) and Satisfaction. Results : All groups showed significant change in VAS, FMMA and PROM. The group cotreated with acupuncture, sweet bee venom acupuncture and $Samgieum-gagam$ showed more effectiveness in VAS and FMMA than the group treated with acupuncture. There was no significant difference in MAS among groups. Conclusions : This study suggests that cotreatment with $Samgieum-gagam$, acupuncture and sweet bee venom acupuncture is more effective than acupuncture treatment only on post-stroke shoulder pain. Further study based on many other combination methods, larger population, and long term follow-up is needed to confirm this suggestion.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.25-31
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the effect of four pharmacopuncture drugs (scolopendrid, Calculus Bovis-Fel Uris-Moschus (BUM), bee venom 25%, and sweet bee venom 10%) on the cerebral hemodynamics, including changes in the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and in the mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). Methods: The changes in the rCBF and the MABP were determined by using a laser-Doppler flowmeter and a pressure transducer, respectively. Results: Scolopendrid (0.3 ml, 1 ml/kg) caused no significant changes in the rCBF and the MABP, whereas BUM (0.3 ml, 1 ml/kg) decreased the rCBF and the MABP, bee venom 25% (0.3 ml, 1 ml/kg) increased the rCBF and lowered the MABP, and sweet bee venom 10% (0.3 ml, 1 ml/kg) increased the rCBF and had no significant effect on the MABP. Conclusions: The rCBF and the MABP were influenced differently by the administration of various pharmacopunctures. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanism.

• 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.

• 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.19 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 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
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.23-32
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was performed to examine the antigenic potential of pure melittin (Sweet Bee Venom - SBV) extracted from the bee venom by utilizing protein isolation method of gel filtration. Methods: All experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech (Chungwon, Korea), authorized a non-clinical studies institution, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Antigenic potential of SBV was examined by active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in guinea pigs. SBV was subcutaneously administered at 0.07 and 0.28mg/kg and also as a suspension with adjuvant (Freund's complete adjuvant: FCA). Ovalbumin (OVA) as a suspension with adjuvant was used to induce positive control response ($5mg/m{\ell}$-FCA). Results: 1. In the ASA test, experimental groups showed some symptoms of anaphylaxis like piloerection, hyperpnea and staggering gait. 2. In the PCA test, low dosage group did not show any antibody responses, whereas high dosage group showed positive responses. 3. In the weight measurement and clinical observation, experimental groups didn't show any significant changes compared with control group. 4. In the autopsy of body, the abnormalities of lung were detected in the corpse. This means that the cause of death may induced anaphylactic shock. Conclusions: Above findings suggested that SBV had antigenic potential in guinea pig. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.47-53
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was performed to analyse the effects of Sweet Bee Venom(SBV-purified melittin supported by G&V Co., the major component of honey bee venom) on the respiratory 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, SBV was administered in thigh muscle of rats in 0.175, 0.35 and 0.7 mg/kg dosage. And checked the effects of SBV on the respiratory system using the whole body plethysmography. And respiratory rate, tidal volume and minute volume of rats were checked after administered SBV (melittin). Results: 1. In the measurement of respiratory rate, there were not observed any significant differences compared with control group. 2. In the measurement of tidal volume, there was not observed any significant differences compared with control group. 3. In the measurement of minute volume, 0.35mg/kg dosage group showed significant differences compared with control group. But we estimated that this result was caused by individual differences. Conclusions: Above findings suggest that SBV seems to be safe treatment in the respiratory system of rats. And further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.