• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.154-165
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• 2003

Objective : to research the trend of the study related to Bee venom and o establish the hereafter direction for the study on Bee Venom therapy. Methods : We reviewed the domestic papers published last ten years(1992-2001). Results: 1.We have searched 53 papers in 7 journals and the pattern of study was as follow: the experimental studies were 33, the clinical studies were 10 and the reviewed studies were 10. 2. The experimental studies were 2 papers of analysis of Bee Venom, 3 papers of safety assessment, 1 paper on production of antibody against Bee Venom and 26 paper of safety assessment. 3. Bee Venom used in studies was made in Korea, China and U.S.A.. There were differences of component and effect according to the place of production. 4. There were the experimental studies of LD50 in mouse, acute toxicity, local irritation test, antigenicity and pyrogen test of Bee Venom. Conclusions : We need more studies of unification of term about Bee Venom, difference according to the place of production, clinical safety and effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.132-137
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• 2011

Bee venom acupuncture (BVA), as a kind of herbal acupuncture, involved injecting diluted bee venom into acupoints and is used for pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis patients. BVA is growing in popularity, especially in Korea, and is used primarily for pain relief in many kinds of diseases. However, the effect of bee venom anti-inflammatory related action in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced chondrocyte stress have not been reported yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bee venom of cell viability and inflammatory cytokine in rat articular chondrocyte cultures stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. Inflammation was induced in rat chondrocytes by treatment with $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ LPS. The change of cell viability were decreased in chondrocytes after treatment with lipopolysaccharide. The cell viability revealed that BV exerted no significant cytotoxicity in the rat chondrocyte. Bee venom inhibited decreased cell viability in the presence of lipopolysaccharide ($10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) in a dose dependent manner(0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and $5.0{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) at bee venom(p<0.05). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ production in the presence of lipopolysaccharide($1{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) was also inhibited in a dose dependent manner (p<0.05 from bee venom $0.1{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). Interleukin (IL)-6 production in the presence of lipopolysaccharide ($10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) was inhibited as well (p<0.05 at bee venom 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and $5.0{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively). Our results demonstrate that bee venom was a anti-inflammatory agent of chondrocytes. Bee venom may exert its anti inflammatory effects through inhibition of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 synthesis, and may then pain relief and reduce the articular destruction.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.383-388
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• 2003

Bee venom is used as a traditional medicine for treatment of arthritis. The anti-inflammatory activity of the n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous partitions from bee venom (Apis mellifera) was studied using cyclooxygenase (COX) activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$) production, in vitro. COX-2 is involved in the production of prostaglandins that mediate pain and support the inflammatory process. The aqueous partition of bee venom showed strong dose-dependent inhibitory effects on COX-2 activity ($IC_{50} = 13.1 \mu$ g/mL), but did not inhibit COX-1 activity. The aqueous partition was subfractionated into three parts by molecular weight differences, namely, B-F1 (above 20 KDa), B-F2 (between 10 KDa and 20 KDa) and BF-3 (below 10 KDa). B-F2 and B-F3 strongly inhibited COX-2 activity and COX-2 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner, without revealing cytotoxic effects. TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$ are potent pro-inflammatory cytokines and are early indicators of the inflammatory process. We also investigated the effects of three subfractions on TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$ production using ELISA method. All three subfractions, B-F1, B-F2 and B-F3, inhibited TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$production. These results suggest the pharmacological activities of bee venom on anti-inflammatory process include the inhibition of COX-2 expression and the blocking of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$) production.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.171-177
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• 2018

Purified bee venom was collected from colonies of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) using a bee venom collector under sterile conditions and then purified under strict laboratory conditions. Purified bee venom contained $63.9{\pm}5.4%$ melittin, $10.9{\pm}1.6%$ phospholipase A2, and $2.3{\pm}0.3%$ apamin. Purified bee venom has various anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating effects. In this study, we evaluated purified bee venom which are mammary gland cells, MAC-T cells are used to increase the synthesis of milk protein. Purified bee venom promoted the proliferation of MAC-T cells at concentrations below $1{\mu}g/mL$, but cytotoxicity at $10{\mu}g/mL$ and above. As a result of the increase in the synthesis of ${\beta}-casein$, a milk protein after treatment with MAC-T cells at a concentration of the bee venom without cytotoxicity, the ${\beta}-casein$ content in the cell culture was increased when treated at a concentration of 1 ng/mL or more. In addition, it was confirmed that purified bee venom significantly increased the expression of bovine ${\beta}-casein$ (bCSNB) mRNA, a ${\beta}-casein$ synthesis gene, at a concentration of 1 ng/mL or more. These results suggest that purified bee venom can be used to increase the production of livestock by ultimately increasing the expression of milk protein.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.439-447
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• 1992

거미류의 독선에서 분배되는 독액(venom)은 생성지는 위치에 따라 독물질과 점액물질의 두가지 종류로 구분되었다. 선 분비부의 전부와 분비 관에서 분비되는 독물질은 전자밀도가 높은 구형 과립의 형태로 합성된 후, 부분분비에 의해 내강으로 방출되었고, 선분비부의 후부에서 생성되는 점액물질은 커다란 덩어리의 형태로 집적된 후, 세포질의 일부와 함께 이출분비의 기작에 의해 방출되었다. 이들은 공통적으로 선상피세포에 발달된 조면소포체와 골지복합체를 거쳐서 생성되었으며, 분비물질의 성숙 단계에 따라 다양한 형태적 변이가 관찰되었다.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.28-40
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• 2000

Objectives : This study was purposed to investigate the effect of honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture on decreased immune response by its production from Korea, North America and China. Methods : ICR-mouse was exposed with four minute sublethal 60Co- $\gamma$ -ray irradiation onto the body and got a series of each country's 0.1 ml honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture to Choksamni(ST36) every other day for three times. Thereafter the numbers of WBC, delayed type hypersensitivity, hemagglutinin titers, hemolysin titers, quantitation of T-cell and B-cell, lymphocyte transformation, natural killer cell activity, interleukin-2 productivity and interferon productivity were measured. Results : The numbers of WBC, delayed type hypersensitivity, hemagglutinin titers, hemolysin titers, quantitation of T-cell and B-cell and lymphocyte transformation were increased respectively with statistical significance in Korean, North American and Chinese honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture groups as compared with the control group. The natural killer cell activity was increased with statistical significance in Korean honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture group, and Interleukin-2 productivity and interferon productivity were not shown any statistical significance in all experimental groups as compared with the control group. Conclusions : According to the results, honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture has significant effect on decreased immune response, and Korean bee venom can be substituted for North American and Chinese one.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.212-219
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• 2020

Objectives: Nowadays cancer treatment is an important challenge in the medical world that needs better therapies. Many active secretions produced by insects such as honey bees used to discover new anticancer drugs. Bee venom (BV) has a potent anti inflammatory, anti cancer and tumor effects. The aim of present study is evaluation of anticancer effects induced by Apis mellifera venom (AmV) on cell Lines. Methods: AmV was selected for study on cancer cell lines. Total protein, molecular weight and LD50 of crude venom were determined. Then, cells were grown in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% antibiotics. The A549, HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cell Lines were exposed by different concentration of AmV. The morphology of cells was determined and cell viability was studed by MTT assay. Evaluation of cell death was determined by and DNA fragmentation. Results: The results from MTT assay showed that 3.125 ㎍/mL of A549, 12.5 for HeLa and 6.25 ㎍/mL of MDA-MB-231 killed 50% of cells (p < 0.05). Morphological analysis and the results from hoescht staining and DNA fragmentation indicated that cell death induced by AmV was significantly apoptosis. Conclusion: The data showed that using lower dosage of AmV during treatment period cause inhibition of proliferation in time and dose dependant manner. Findings indicated that some ingredients of AmV have anticancer effects and with further investigation it can be used in production of anticancer drugs.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.5-15
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• 2001

This study was carried out for production of neutral antibody to bee venom $(anti-phospholipase\;A_2IgY)$. Hen layings were injected repeatedly with bee venom and phospholipase $A_2$ with Freund's adjuvant. Specific antibody in egg yolk from immunized hen laying was separated, and purified, also immunological characteristics of anti phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ was invested. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Phospholipase $A_2$ was showed single band at molecular weight 17,000 in SDS-PAGE and bee venom was showed two band at molecular weight 17,000 and under molecular weight 6,500 in SDS-PAGE. 2. During 70 days after hen immunized with bee venom and phospholipase $A_2$, antibodies(anti-bee venom IgY) to bee venom were showed poor ELISA value in egg yolk, but antibodies$(anti-Phospholipase\;A_2IgY)$ to phospholipase $A_2$ in egg yolk were increased ELISA value from 8 days or 15 days and found maximum ELISA value at 42 days. Also after booster at 49 days, ELISA value of anti Phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ in egg yolk was supported at optical density(O.D) 1.0 level, continuously. 3. Titer of phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ was showed 1: 32,000. 4. In double immunodiffusion test to phospholipase $A_2$ after double dilution of anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$, only precipitation line was made in 1:1 dilution well of anti-Phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$. But In immunodiffusion test to anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ after double dilution of phospholipase $A_2$, Precipitation line to 250ul/ml well of phospholipase $A_2$ was showed. In double immunodiffusion test to bee venom(1mg/ml) after double dilution anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$, all well without 1:32 dilution well were showed strong precipitation line. 5. In dot bloting test to anti-phospholipase $A_2\;IgY$ after diluting bee venom(0.5mg/ml), dot bloting color was showed clearly to $1/100(5{\mu}g/ml)$ in bee venom.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.41-44
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• 2005

Objectives : This experiment was conducted to reevaluate $LD_{50}$ of Korean bee venom acupuncture as many changes have occurred over the years. Methods : ICR mice were used as the experiment animals and bee venom acupuncture was manufactured under the protocols of Korean Institute of herbal Acupuncture. Based on the previous reports, experiment was divided into pre and main sections. Results : 1. Presumed $LD_{50}$ value is at 5.25mg/kg 2. Deaths of experiment animals occurred within 48 hours. 3. Reduced toxicity of the bee venom acupuncture is likely to be the results of more refined manufacturing process and production. Conclusion : Comparing with the values of the previous results, toxicity of the bee venom acupuncture showed significant changes and more accurate findings on $LD_{50}$ value must be accomplished to lead further studies on the bee venom acupuncture.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.140-146
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• 2019

Objectives: Venomous fishes have different pharmacological effects and are useful. Among the venomous fish, stonefishes; especially Pseudosynanceia melanostigma has various pharmacological effects on the nervous, muscular and cardiovascular system of humans. In this study, toxicological characteristics, some blood effects, pharmacological and enzymatic properties of Pseudosynanceia melanostigma venom was investigated. Methods: Crude venom purified by using gel filtration chromatography and the molecular weights of the venom and its fractions were estimated. The approximate LD values of this venom were determinedand the effects of LD50 dose on the blood of rabbits were studied. Hemolytic and Hemorrhagic activity of the venom sample was determined. In this case coagulation tests were performed. Results: The LD50 of the Pseudosynanceia melanostigma crude venom was also determined to be $194.54{\mu}g/mouse$. The effect of two doses of LD50 showed a non-significant differences decrease in RBCs and MCV. In other cases, the results showed significant differences in WBC, Plt, Hb, MCH, MCHC and HCT; also it's showed a significant decrease. WBC count showed a significant increase with two doses of LD50 groups. The prothrombin time and partial prothrombin time were increased after venom treatment. As well as bleeding and clotting time were increased. According to the results, a minimum dose for Haemorrhagic effect $40{\mu}g$ was obtained. Conclusion: Venom of Pseudosynanceia melanostigma has inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation that can be used to design and develop of anticoagulant drugs.