Bee Venom

Scientific Name(S): Derived from Apis Mellitera

Common Name(S): Bee venom, honeybee venom

Most people associate bees with honey or pollen. But another bee product-bee venom-may be valuable in treating certain illnesses. Bee venom, however, is looked upon with some trepidation-not surprising, given that most people's only experience is via a painful bee sting. For thousands of years, though, the medicinal benefits of bee venom have been touted throughout the world. And while these medicinal effects have yet to be scientifically proven, in recent years, the use of bee venom to treat various ailments (apitherapy) is actively being studied.

Source: Honeybee'venom is obtained from Apis Mellitera, the common honeybee. Other venoms are derived from related members of the hymenoptera.

History: Anaphylaxis to insect stings is a relatively uncommon problem, believed to have affected only 0.4% of the general US population in the early 1990s. It is the cause of approximately 40 deaths per year in the United States.

The allergic reactions are mediated by IgE antibodies directed at constituents of honeybee, yellow jacket, hornet and wasp venoms. In order to minimize the allergic reaction, hyposensitization immunotherapy techniques have been developed in which small doses of the venom are administered under controlled conditions over a period of months to years. Patients allergic to honeybee venom may be particularly sensitive to hymenoptera venoms in general and have been found to be at a significantly higher risk of developing systemic side effects to venom immunotherapy than patients who are sensitive to yellow jacket venom.

More recently, it has been suggested that honeybee venom may alleviate the symptoms and slow the progression of immune-modulated diseases such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Uses of Bee Venom

Bee venom is purported to be useful for treating the following:

• chronic injuries such as bursitis and tendinitis
• cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension
• pulmonary conditions such as asthma
• removal of scar tissue
• skin conditions such as eczema
• hearing loss
• bone healing
• premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

However, there is no meaningful scientific evidence to indicate that it is effective for any of these conditions.

Side Effects of Bee Venom

A single bee sting can produce anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals. Regardless of history, any patient with multiple stings should be monitored.

Considering Bee Venom Therapy

If you're considering bee venom therapy, you must recognize that such therapy is a natural treatment for which, to date, there is no scientific evidence definitively proving its medicinal effectiveness. Before trying this therapy, consult with your physician, and remember that this therapy should be used in addition to, not instead of, other treatments prescribed by your doctor. And never have bee venom injections without a bee sting kit (and someone who knows how to use it) readily available.

Summary: Bee venom is used in hyposensitization immunotherapy for patients who are highly sensitive to the effects of bee stings. In addition, the venom finds use in the nontraditional treatment of arthritis and multiple sclerosis. The latter uses are based on observations of an anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effect induced by bee venom.