• 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.4
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• pp.75-89
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture and Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Methods : From February to September 2010, the number of patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome who volunteered for this clinical study was 16 and 7 out of 16 patients complained both hands. Total 23 cases of hands were randomly divided by 2 groups. We injected Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture on PC7(Daereung) twice a week for 4weeks for experimental group(n=11), and Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture with the same methods for control group(n=12). One case was dropped out due to itchiness of allergic response in the experimental group. Improvement of the symptoms was evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale, Pain Rating Scale, Tinel's sign, Phalen's sign and Nerve Conduction Velocity. Nerve Conduction Velocity was checked at baseline and the end of the trial and others were checked at baseline, after 2 and 4 weeks. Results : Both groups showed significant improvement in Visual Analogue Scale, Pain Rating Scale, but no significant difference between two groups. Only the control group showed significant reduction of the 'poitive response' in the Tinel's sign and Phalen's sign. However, no groups improved in Nerve Conduction Velocity. Conclusions : These results showed that Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture and Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture could decrease the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Further studies will be required to examine more cases for the long period and use more various concentration and amount pharmacopuncture for the effect on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.91-102
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was done to determine the effect of Korean medical treatment to patient diagnosed as cauda equina syndrome(CES) suffering from both lower limb dysesthesia, saddle dysesthesia, buttock dysesthesia, dysuria, dyschezia and gait disturbance. Methods : A patient with CES was treated with acupuncture, sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine from February 2 to April 9 at Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Daejeon Korean Hospital of Daejeon University. Patient received acupuncture treatment($CV_1$, $CV_3$, $CV_4$, $CV_6$, $ST_{36}$, $BL_{31}$, $BL_{32}$, $BL_{33}$, $BL_{34}$) 12 times a week, bee-venom pharmacopuncture($BL_{23}$, $BL_{28}$) was conducted twice a week, herbal medicine(Samilsingihwan decoction) was applied to patient thrice a day for nine weeks. The following symptoms were observed saddle, and lower limb dysesthesia, dysuria, dyschezia and gait disturbance. Results : After treatment, dysesthesia, dysuria, dyschezia and gaiting developed good outcome. But anal reflex remained still. Conclusions : Acupuncture, bee-venom pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine combined treatment might be effective to patients with CES.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.70-73
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• 2014

Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a health problem which occurs during any phase of the sexual response cycle that keeps the individual or couple from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual activity. SD covers a wide variety of symptoms like in men, erectile dysfunction and premature or delayed ejaculation, in women, spasms of the vagina and pain with sexual intercourse, in both sexes, sexual desire and response. And pharmacopuncture, i.e. injection of subclinical doses of drugs, mostly herb medicine, in acupoints, has been adopted with successful results. This case report showed the effect of bee venom on SD. A 51-year-old male patient with SD, who had a past history of taking Western medication to treat his SD and who had previously undergone surgery on his lower back due to a herniated disc, received treatments using pharmacopuncture of sweet bee venom (SBV) at Gwanwon (CV4), Hoeeum (CV1), Sinsu (BL23), and Gihaesu (BL24) for 20 days. Objectively, the patient showed improvement on most items on the International Index for Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF) like 28 to 29 out of perfect score 30 for erectile function, 10 to 10 out of perfect score 10 for orgasmic function, 6 to 8 out of perfect score 10 for sexual desire, 10 to 13 out of perfect score 15 for satisfaction with intercourse, and 6 to 8 out of perfect score 10 for overall satisfaction; subjectively, his words, the tone of his voice and the look of confidence in his eyes all indicated improvement. Among the variety of effects of SBV pharmacopuncture, urogenital problems such as SD may be health problems that pharmacopuncture can treat effectively.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.81-88
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this report is to find out how Mountain Ginseng Pharmacopuncture(MGP) and Sweet Bee Venom(SBV) treatments are effective on prostate cancer patients by monitoring Prostate specific antigen(PSA) values. Methods: We treated two prostate cancer patients with MGP and SBV from October 2008 to April 2011. One patient had localized prostate cancer, the other was in the terminal stage of prostate cancer with lung and bone metastasis and both had been receiving western anticancer therapy. We had monitored the changes of PSA value. Results: In case 1, MGP and SBV treatments seemed to be helpful in preventing the recurrence of localized prostate cancer. In case 2, PSA value was decreased by MGP treatment. Conclusions: It is conceivable that MGP and SBV are effective treatments for patients with prostate cancer.

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

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.85-92
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was designed to compare the effect between method of regulating ascending kidney water and descending heart fire and sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture on peripheral facial paralysis. Methods : We investigated 30 cases of patient with peripheral facial paralysis who visited at Dept. of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, of Oriental Medicine Dong-eui University from November 29, 2010 to May 15, 2011. Subjects were divided randomly into two groups, group A and group B. We applied method of regulating ascending kidney water and descending heart fire twice or three times a week for group A and sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture with same cycle for group B. We measured the effect of treatment to each group five times by using Yanagihara's unweighed grading system. at first examination, after 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 4 weeks. Results : Both groups showed significant improvement in Yanagihara's scores. And group A was improved better than group B for two weeks from the first examination significantly. But after one week from then, the Yanagihara's scores of group B were higher than those of group A significantly. There were no significant differences during other period. Conclusions : Method of regulating ascending kidney water and descending heart fire is more effective than sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture on peripheral facial paralysis during acute period. And after acute period, sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture is more effective than method of regulating ascending kidney water and descending heart fire.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.35-44
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was designed to compare the effect between needle-embedding therapy and sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy on early stage of peripheral facial paralysis. Methods : We investigated 60 patients with peripheral facial paralysis. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups and dropped out 20 patients. : needle-embedding therapy group(group A, n=20, dropped out 9 cases among 29 cases) and sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy group(group B, n=20, dropped out 11 cases among 31 cases). needle-embedding therapy was performed for group A three times a week dividing face into three areas during 4 weeks and Sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy was performed for group B two or three times a week during 4 weeks. To evaluate the effect of treatment applied for two groups, we used Yanagihara's unweighed grading system and House-Brachmann grading system at before treatment, after one week from visit, two weeks from visit, three weeks from visit, and four weeks from visit. Results : After treatment, Yanagihara's score and House-Brachmann grading system were improved in each group except during first week. But there was no significant difference in improvement between group A and group B. Conclusions : Needle-embedding therapy would be as effective to improve symptoms of early stage of peripheral facial paralysis as sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-24
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• 2011

Objective: This study was performed to analyse four weeks repeated -dose toxicity of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV-pure melittin, the major component of honey bee venom) in rats. 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 rats of 5 weeks old were chosen for the pilot study of four weeks repeated-dose toxicity and was injected at the level of 0.56 mg/kg body weight (eighty times higher than the clinical application dosage as the high dosage), followed by 0.28 and 0.14 mg/kg as midium and low dosage, respectively. Equal amount of normal saline was injected as the control group every day for four weeks. Results: 1. No mortality was witnessed in all of the experiment groups. 2. All experiment groups appealed pain sense in the treating time compared to the control group, and side effects such as hyperemia and movement disorder were observed around the area of injection in all experiment groups, and the higher dosage in treatment, the higher occurrence in side effects. 3. Concerning weight measurement, neither male nor female groups showed significant changes compared to the control group. 4. Concerning to the CBC and biochemistry, all experiment groups didn't show any significant changes compared to the control group. 5. Concerning weight measurement of organs, experiment groups didn't show any significant changes compared to the control group. 6. To verify abnormalities of organs and tissues, those such as cerebellum, cerebrum, liver, lung, kidney, and spinal cords were removed and we conducted histologocal observation with H-E staining. Concerning the histologocal observation of liver tissues, some fatty changes were observed around portal vein in 0.56 mg/kg experiment group. But another organs were not detected in any abnormalities. 7. The proper high dosage of SBV for the thirteen weeks repeated test in rats may be 0.28 mg/kg in one time. Conclusion: Above findings suggest that SBV is relatively safe treatment medium. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• 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.