• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.10 no.2 s.23
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• pp.47-55
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• 2007

Objectives : To verify pain relief effects and allergy inhibitory action for the osteoarthritis of the knee joint in Sweet Bee Venom in which allergy causing enzyme is removed. Methods : We randomly allocated 36 participants to treatment group Sweet Bee Venom and Bee Venom. Outcomes on pain reduction were measured by 100mm VAS(Visual Analog Scale). And we recorded into details allergic responses during Pharmacopuncture treatment. Results : Whole body condition and pain rate through VAS measurement were improved significantly in 2 weeks. We could get difference in pain score of two Pharmacopuncture groups significantly in 2 weeks. BV group showed superior reduction in pain compared to the Sweet BV group. But we could not get difference in whole score of two pharmacopuncture groups significantly. On the other hand other allergic responses such as edema, itchiness, pain were significantly lower in the Sweet BV group.

• 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 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 Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.211-217
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to prove the clinical safety of Sweet Bee Venom(BV) and observe the physical reaction(percentage of localized itching & pain) after Sweet BV treatment. Methods : This study was carried out on 130 patients who had been injected with Sweet BV in Koran Medicine Hospital of Woosuk University from March 20, 2012 to June 30, 2013. Patients were treated with Sweet BV daily and we checked the physical reaction. After that, we analyzed those according to treatment times and body parts of injection. Results : 37 patients(28.46 %) complained localized itching and 41 patients(31.54 %) complained localized pain after Sweet BV injection. In 37 patients who complained localized itching, 8 patients were experienced itching in the first treatment. And 27 patients were experienced itching in the 1st~5th treatment. Wrist, ankle and toe were the highest percentage of localized itching. Finger was the highest percentage of localized pain. Knee showed a relatively higher percentage of itching, pain, itching & pain than other body parts. Conclusions : This study suggested that Sweet BV treatment was relatively safe treatment and doctors should explain the physical reaction before treating patients. Further studies are needed to propose a guideline for safety and treatment.

• 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.19 no.2
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• pp.92-104
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• 2002

Objective : Bee venom (BV) has traditionally been used in Oriental medicine to relieve pain and to treat inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Autoimmunity to type II collagen (CII) may involve in the pathogenesis of RA. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of BV on type II collagen induced arthritis (CIA) with the naked eye, a immunohistochemical method and the examination of histology. Method : Male mice were immunized by subcutaneously injection of an $200{\mu}g$ emulsion mixed with bovine CII and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) twice for two weeks. In the control group, normal saline was injected, and in the experimental group, BV was applied. Result : The incidence of arthritis, the mean arthritis index and the number of the arthritic limbs of the BV group were all significantly lower than those of the control group. Among the pro-inflammatory cytokines, the production of $TNF-{\alpha}$ in the BV group was also suppressed compared with the control group, but $IL-1{\beta}$ was not. The examination on the histopathology of joints of CIA mice showed the effect of Bee Venom Herbal Acupuncture on the arthritis. Conculusion : Treatment with BV resulted in inhibition of development of arthritis and immune responses to CII.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.3 s.21
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• pp.161-166
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• 2006

Objective : The aim of this study was to find out the therapeutic effect of the Korean Bee Venom theraphy in the treatment of patient with De Quervain's disease. Methods : As the effect of Bee Venom acupuncture about various articulation diseases observed, we tried to treat a case that was diagnosed De Quervain's disease by using Korean Bee Venom theraphy. Results : After Korean Bee Venom theraphy, 'VNRS' value decreased quite noticeably, and other symptoms have improved as well. Conclusions : Korean BeeVenom theraphy have shown fairly effective to De Quervain's disease. Furthermore, it shows considerable potential in its effectiveness to be utilized other fields of medicine practices.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.50-62
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• 2003

Objective: Bee Venom(BV) has been used for various kinds of inflammatory or painful conditions in Oriental Medicine clinics, and there publishes reports on its therapeutic effects and the probable mechanism of those therapeutic effects, where CDs and cytokines plays important role. This study investigated the influences of bee venom on the expressions of CDs and cytokines of HMC cell line Methods: In this study we analysed the expression profile of HMC cell line treated with BV of 10-2ug/ml in relation to that of HMC cell line treated with vehicle by way of CD/cytokine microarray hybridization with 342 genes on it. Results: There were no upregulated genes by more than 3 fold, while there showed some downregulated genes by less than 1/3 fold as follows: colony stimulating factor 2, CD122, IL-7, CD112, TNF-alpha, CD138, CD166, TGFbetaR2, CD42b, CD62L, CD111, interleukin 10 receptor alpha, colony stimulating factor 1(macrophage), CD38 antigen(p45), CD121a, CD33 antigen(gp67), colony stimulating factor 1 receptor, B cell linker protein (SLP65) mRNA, CD94, alanyl(membrane) aminopeptidase, immunoglobulin(CD79A) binding protein 1, CD205, CD241, CD207, CDw121b, integrin alpha L(CD11a), integrin beta 1(CD29), CD91, CD42b. Conclusions: Bee venom treatment induced downregulation of some CDs or cytokines including $TNF-{\alpha}$. IL-1R with its possible implication in an antiinflammatory action of BV. Further research on expression profile changes induced by BV treatment is expected.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 1999

Herniation of intervertevral disc(HIVD) is the most common disease causing low back pain. Acupuncture, electroacupuncture and moxibustion has been used for treatment of HIVD. Bee venom (BV) also has been traditionally applied to relieve pain. Recently, it has been reported that BV is effective in treating HIVD. But more objective methods were required to assess the efficacy of BV on HlVD. So we assessed of BV-acupuncture effect on herniated disc patients by use of rating scale for low back pain. We researched 22 patients who were treated at Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Kyung Hee Medical Center from January 1999 to June 1999. The patients were diagnosed by MRI as having a herniated disc. The results of treatment using rating scale for low back pain in HIVD showed that $43.77{\pm}14.39$ point of pre-treatment score and $84.5{\pm}3.97$ point post-treatment score. The improvement index showed $0.43{\pm}0.15$. Especially, clinical score of neurologic deficits showed most highest improvement index of $0.7{\pm}0.45$. Assessment of BV-acupuncture Effect by MRI finding were showed that protruded disc and extruded disc got more higher improvement index than bulging disc. Among 22 patients, satisfactory assessment of BV-acupuncture effect showed that 15(68.2%) were excellent, and 7(31.8%) were good. The result suggest that BV-acupuncture is good method for treatment of HIVD.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.75-87
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to inquire into the effect of different concentrations of bee venom pharmacopuncture to inhibit genesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and to inhibit nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ activation on type II collagen induced arthritis. Methods : The experiment was divided into category of the normal group (NOR)-no treated group, control group (CON)-CIA (collagen induced arthritis) induced group, and 4,000 : 1 bee venom group (BV-L)- 4000:1 bee venom pharmacopuncture treated group after CIA, and 2000:1 bee venom group (BV-H)- 2,000 : 1 Bee venom pharmacopuncture treated group after CIA. RA was induced in the mice via injecting $50{\mu}{\ell}$ C II mixed CFA. The bee venom pharmacopuncture was applied on $ST_{35}$ for 19 days from the 3rd day of RA inducement. To research the effect on the expression of IKK ($I{\kappa}B$ kinase), iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) & COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) mRNA, RT-PCR was performed on synovial membrane cells from the knee joint of CIA mice. Results : The PMA-induced $I{\kappa}B$ kinase (IKK), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase -2 (COX-2) mRNA expression were dose-dependantly decreased in bee venom treated with synoviocytes. In mice treated with bee venom pharmacopuncture, foot thickness and the damage of synovial membranes of the joint was lessened, and the activation of RA-related pro-inflammatory cytokines such as MIF, TNF-${\alpha}$ and MMP-9 was significantly decreased. The activation of iNOS and COX-2 was suppressed by the inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$. In addition, each data was shown that 2,000 : 1 bee venom pharmacopuncture was more effective than 4,000 : 1 bee venom pharmacopuncture. Conclusions : It is speculated that bee venom pharmacopuncture has the therapeutic effect of palliating the damage of the synovial membrane and inflammation on RA by suppressing of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation.