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Apitoxin or bee venom is the venom produced by the honey bee. It is a cytotoxic and hemotoxic bitter colorless liquid containing proteins, which may produce local inflammation. It may have similarities to sea nettle toxin. [1]
Bee venom is a complex mixture of proteins and smaller molecules.
The main component is melittin, which amounts to 52% of venom peptides [2] One of the main allergens is phospholipase A2, which amounts to 12% and is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of phospholipids, causing degradation of cell membranes. [3] Adolapin [4] contributes 2–5% of the peptides. [5] [6] Further protein components include apamin (2%), a neurotoxin, hyaluronidase (2%), which dilates blood vessels, increasing their permeability and facilitating the spread of the venom, [3] mast cell degranulating peptide (2%), tertiapin, and secapin. [7] Small molecules in bee venom include histamine (0.1–1%), dopamine and noradrenaline. [8]
Mark Crislip, a practicing infectious disease specialist, examined the claims that bee venom can treat arthritis. He was unable to "find a clean, i.e., a non-TCPM based, randomized, placebo-controlled study of bee venom in humans for the treatment [of] arthritis." [9]
Bee venom is also considered ineffective for the treatment or prevention of cancer, with no clinical studies to date supporting such effects. [10] According to the American Cancer Society, there is no scientific evidence that apitherapy or bee venom therapy can treat or change the course of cancer or any other disease. [11] Clinical trials have shown that apitherapy is ineffective in treating multiple sclerosis or any other disease, and can exacerbate multiple sclerosis symptoms. [12]
practitioners claim ... bee venom can be used to treat various diseases, including several types of arthritis; neurological problems such as multiple sclerosis, lower back pain and migraine headaches; and skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and herpes.