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WHAT IS BEE VENOM?
The
venom of Honeybees is stored in the poison sac, which empties into the base
of the stinger. A newly emerged bee has very little venom, but the amount
gradually accumulates with age, to about 0.3 mg in 15 day old bees. After the
age of guard bees is reached (18 days), no additional venom is produced.
Subsequently, the weight of the venom in the poison sac remains unchanged,
and cannot be replenished after the sac is emptied.
Without
Pollen, a bee is unable to manufacture venom. Bee venom is a clear liquid
with a sharp, bitter taste, an aromatic odor and an acidic reaction. It dries
quickly at room temperature.
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TOXICITY
Bee
Venom is more toxic than wasp venom. On rare occasions, one sting is capable
of causing death by anaphylactic shock to persons who are hypersensitive.
Unless prompt medical relief is given, such persons may die within 30
minutes.
If you
happen to be a person who is allergic to stings, or know someone who is, you
can send for a 13 page booklet: "Insect stings," for 50 cents from
the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 19 West 44th Street, New York,
NY 10036.
This excellent booklet describes symptoms of true allergic reactions,
treatment, insects and their habits and preventing stings.
Under
more normal circumstances, however, it would probably require at least 500
stings over a short period of time to cause death by direct toxicity.
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COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF BEE VENOM
The
components of Bee Venom have been reviewed and summarized in papers by a
least four scientists from 1955 to 1972. Bee Venom is quite complicated
chemically. It contains several biochemical or pharmacologically active
substances, including at least the following: histamine, dopamine, melittin,
apamin (mast cell destroyer - MCD), peptide, minimine, and the enzymes -
phospholipase A, and hyaluronidase. There are at least eight protein
fractions of Honeybee Venom, of which phospholipase A, melitten, and apamin
are the three major ones.
For
years Bee Venom was thought to be formic acid. Finally it was discovered that
there was no formic acid in it. It is a complex mixture of pesticides
phospholipase, mellitin, apamin, etc. (over 35 fractional components). The
collected venom is as powerful as live bee stings.
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USES AND POTENTIAL USES
Bee
Venom has potential use in the medical field. Some interest has been
expressed in introducing a pure Bee Venom product on the American market to
be used in two ways. One use would be for the treatment of rheumatoid
arthritis and another use would be for the desensitization of hypersensitive
individuals.
The
idea of using Bee Venom for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is centuries
old, and is based on the fact that beekeepers are seldom affected with this
disease. Bee Venom therapy has long been practiced in Europe: and in recent
times has been advocated for use in the United States by two physicians,
Dr. Beck and Dr. Broadman.
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VENOM COLLECTOR
The
author has recently received U.S. Patent # 4,739,531 for an invention to
collect Bee Venom. This invention consists of a removable slide which
encompass a series of electrical wires running parallel, with an opening wide
enough for the bees to squeeze through. The main reason for this invention
was to allow the use of the same trap for both Pollen and Venom collection.
By simply removing the Pollen slide and inserting the Venom slide you can
determine which product you want to collect. This method eliminates building
two completely separate collectors and can be easily transferred from yard to
yard.
As the
bees travel back and forth between these openings a low voltage shock (only
capable of irritating the bee into stinging), is applied every five to ten
seconds. Directly below the wires is a Teflon pad. At the time of the
electrical shock - as the bee travels across the pad and up through the
wires, she will sting the pad and release the venom onto the Teflon. A
percentage of the time the stinger will remain with the bee. The Teflon pads
are easily removed by the beekeeper for the extracting of the venom.
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"MEDICAL HISTORY" OF BEE VENOM
The
fact that Bee Venom holds the key to the problem of approximately 40,000,000 people
in the United States
who suffer from arthritis and rheumatism is amazing. Actually, the curative
value of Bee Venom was known by Hippocrates, the "Father of
Medicine" in Ancient Greece. He used Bee Venom and called it
"Arcanum - a very mysterious remedy" and refers to it in his eight
books on medicine.
The
famous physician, Galen, 130 A.D., wrote of using Bee Venom, and Pliny the
Elder, in about 14 B.C., wrote about Venom in his "Natural
History." Charlemagne, King of the Franks, 742-814 A.D., is known to
have been treated with bee stings. It was thought at that time that bee
stings cured all sorts of maladies and great store was laid by the venom's
curative healing properties.
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Monfat (1600-1634) prescribed bees taken from the hive for
reducing kidney "stones," the strengthening of the urinary tract,
as well as for a number of other conditions. In 1859, Doctor Desjardins of France
published the first scientific paper in the "Medical Bee Journal"
describing his bee sting procedures, which he claimed he applied successfully
in all kinds of rheumatic diseases. He even reported on two cases of skin
cancer, which he says he was able to cure. Professor Libowsky of St.
Petersburg, Russia, in 1864, reported in the "Courier Medical"
about his success with bee stings in rheumatism and cases of neuralgia. As
far back as 1850, Dr. Schwabe, Germany; Dr. Hale, England; Drs. March and
Altschul, Germany; Dr. Goullon, France; D.C. Wolfe, Germany; and others,
reported in reliable scientific papers their good results treating rheumatic
patients with bee stings. Dr. Phillip Terc of Marburg, Austria, in
1879, became interested in the venom of Honeybees when he was accidentally
stung by bees and "cured" of several arthritic conditions he had.
He became the first physician to apply bee stings in a systematic way to the
treatment of rheumatic diseases in his patients. His first publication on the
subject appeared in the Vienna medical press in 1888. It was the "Report
About a Peculiar Connection Between the Bee Stings and Rheumatism."
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Dr. Terc, although he was laughed at throughout his career by the
orthodox medical world, reported that during 25 years he had applied 39,000
bee stings to about 500 rheumatic patients without a complication, a
so-called side effect or fatality. Most of these patients were lastingly
benefited. At a medical meeting, Feb. 11, 1904, he invited the medical
profession to accept Bee Venom therapy. "Years ago I was called to a
patient who previously had been treated for rheumatism of the joints, but
completely without any success. This lady was not able to move in her bed,
suffered with a severe heart disease, and, having heard about Bee Venom,
desperately wanted to try this treatment. After I had examined her very
carefully and decided to take the risk, a relative of hers remarked, 'are you
actually contemplating to torture this death bound person?' I first applied
one single sting, then after half an hour, two stings, and after another hour
again, two more. She tolerated them well without hardly feeling any pains on
application. I stayed for half a day with her to keep her under observation
and finally felt entitled to promise her complete recovery. The next day I
showed her gardener, a beekeeper himself, how to apply the stings, and three
weeks later the "death bound" patient left her bed for the first
time in years… At the last
examination she was not only completely cured of rheumatism but, at the same
time, the previous murmur of her heart had entirely ceased." Dr.
Terc claimed that following bee sting therapy high blood pressure or low
blood pressure tended to reach normalcy. Dr. Terc used the treatment for
forty years. He often said he was convinced that almost all true arthritis
and rheumatism can be radically and permanently cured with bee stings, except
those cases of many years standing, where the joints already have been
destroyed and ossification has taken place.
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Unfortunately, Dr. Terc's observations and all those preceding
reports, found little response from his colleagues and were forgotten.
Medical leaders seem to have a peculiar gift for forgetting important
discoveries. In 1928, Dr. Franz Kretschy of Vienna, continuing Dr. Terc's
work, invented an injectable form of Bee Venom. Obviously though, the recognition
of Bee Venom for which Dr. Terc and Dr. Kretschy worked and hoped for during
so many years has not yet been achieved in the United States. Dr. Bodog Beck
of New York City used Bee Venom Therapy from 1935 to 1942. Dr. Beck's work
ceased during World Was II and then the discovery of cortisone diverted
attention from Bee Venom therapy. Still some of his students and a few others
kept his interest alive. Dr. C.B. Warren started funding some research on
dogs, cats and horses with good results. Dr. Bodog Beck in his book "Bee
Venom Therapy", 1936, used a quotation concerning Bee Venom from the
Koran, chapter XVI, 71: "There proceeded from their bellies a liquor
wherein is a medicine for men."
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Instead of using suppressive drugs, Bee Venom stimulates production
of natural immunotherapy (through the pituitary and adrenal glands) and
causes the body to produce natural cortisone. Even treatments on pain from
various causes will respond to treatment with Bee Venom therapy. Also, it has
been known to restore paralyzed legs, and open end fractures, reduce
calcification of arthritic areas. It has been known to normalize menstruation
periods in women, increase sperm count in men, also, effective in the
treating of shingles (having an anti viral effect), also in the remission of
tumors of many different types of malignant diseases. How is all this
possible? By stimulating many different functions. Perhaps gaining an
understanding of how Bee Venom works will lead to development of something
even better. Bee Venom will lead the way to a new approach to healing - safe,
effective and low-cost.
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON APITHERAPY
International
Conference on Apitherapy, 1983, Dr. Charles Mraz: Systematic treatment of
Rheumatic and Degenerative Diseases with Honey Bee Venom has been known for
over one hundred years.
During
the last decades there was a significant advance in studying the composition,
biological properties and clinical applications of Bee Venom in eastern and
western countries. Today Bee Venom is well known as a natural product for
curing rheumatic diseases, degenerative diseases, arthritic conditions, other
conditions (such as intense pain from burn scar tissue, injury, surgery)
stimulating healing of bone in non healing fractures and in curing immune
deficiencies and auto immune diseases. Dr. Mraz feels that the day is very
near when Bee Venom will open up a new science of healing and a new immune
therapy, which is just beginning to be used. The Yale University School of
Medicine, Department of Oncology, and the Cancer Research Institute at San
Francisco reported on the following: The inhibition of growth of leukemic
cells by inhibitors of calmodulin: phenothiazines and melittin. Drs. Lavin
and Meiss summarized the study on leukemic cells. "Of the three methods
tested more potent inhibitors have been identified. Specifically, melittin, a
major polypeptide component of Bee Venom was one of the most potent of these
agents. We now report that several drugs that inhibit the activity of
calmodulin inhibit the growth of murine and human leukemic cells and that
melittin has the most potential cytotoxic activity."
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WHY BEE VENOM IS EFFECTIVE
The
following paper was delivered by: Professor N.M. Artemov of Gorki University,
USSR, in Rome, Italy in 1958; "The Biological Principles of the
Application of Bee Venom in Medicine". "The therapeutic application
of both Bee Venom and its preparations is effected so far empirically,
without a sufficient theoretical base. That is why the development of a
medico biological theory of the Bee Venom effect on the healthy and the
diseased organism is a problem of particular importance. This theory must
throw light upon all known facts from the special point of view and make
clear the complicated symptom complex of poisoning as well as the therapeutic
properties of Bee Venom."
"The
author of the present article succeeded in putting forward an hypotheses
meeting the above mentioned requirements on the basis of the experimental
data he obtained in his laboratory. He further examined his hypothesis from
the biological and evolutionary point of view. The Bee sting and Bee Venom
are known to be fit to protect the bee against its chief enemies - the
mammals. As a result, the venom developed as a factor acting upon the most
vulnerable and important systems of the organism (nervous system, blood) on
the one hand, while on the other, mammals have developed the ability to react
to venom by mobilizing all their protective forces and by increasing their
resistance to it. As a result the venom has become the natural adequate
stimulus of protective reactions of the (mammalism) organism." "In
fact the analysis of the symptom complex of poisoning with Bee Venom gives us
the opportunity of subdividing its symptoms into two categories: (a) symptoms
depending upon the disintegration of cells and organs or the inactivation of
some biochemical systems, (b) symptoms associated with the realization of the
protective reactions. Such symptoms as hemolysis (red Blood cell destruction)
and cytolysis (cellular destruction), muscular contractions, the blockage or
nervous synapse and inactivation of enzymes (e.g. dehydrase) belong to the
first category. The system of the mutually associated symptoms which indicate
'general adaptation syndrome' belongs to the second category."
"Among these symptoms are the shock developing at the beginning of the
poisoning, the characteristic variations in blood, the increasing
permeability of the blood vessels, the excitation of the
pituitary-adrenocortical system and the change of reactivity in the organism;
in particular, the increase of resistance to the venom. All of them have been
carefully examined and studied in detail. It has been evidenced that the
protective inhibition occurring in the cerebral cortex of animals after the
injection of non lethal doses of the venom, should be also included in the
second category." "The therapeutic properties of the venom are
quite obvious. They are associated with the mobilization of the organism's
protective forces - in particular with the increase of the internal secretion
of the pituitary and the adrenal cortex with the subsequent reconstruction of
organism's reactivity. This is the reason Bee Venom is so effective in cases
of rheumatic disease and allergies." "Bee Venom's curative powers
can best be explained by its simulating effect on blood and blood vessels -
its ability to increase circulation. Blood cells transmigrate into the
tissues after a Bee Venom injection. The venom opens the capillary walls,
thus allowing the body a better elimination of waste matter as increased
metabolism, which enriches the supply of oxygen within the body. Better
circulation and intensified oxidation also help to destroy bacterial growth,
in this way enabling a normal physical state to replace the pathological
condition." "Bee Venom attacks the contributing causative factors
of arthritis and rheumatism; it does not merely treat symptoms as do the
solaced 'wonder' drugs." Says Dr. Joseph Broadman, M.D., in his book
"Bee Venom." "It attacks at the cellular level where every
disease begins. This is important because relieving pain or treating the
outward manifestations of any disease does not indicate in any way that the
disease has been removed. …By treating with
steroids, there are added dangers of side effects. Bee Venom contains none of
these dangers which can cause death."
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VENOM OR EXTRACT?
Rheumatic
disease is sometimes described as auto immune disease. Cancer, also, is a
result of hormones out of control. Bee Venom will stimulate each individuals
endogenous system. Using bees to sting people is a difficult procedure for
doctors not familiar with the practice of handling bees. In the 1920 through
the 70's whole bees were crushed and the whole body extract was used as Bee
Venom therapy. This was shown to be totally ineffective for treatment of
either allergy or arthritis.
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ACUPUNCTURE WITH BEE VENOM
An
article "Apitherapy by Acupuncture for Back Problems" by P.A.
Potchinkova, Bulgaria, Apiacta, 1987, states, "The degenerative diseases
of the spinal column and their neurological complications are serious
problems encountered in medical practice and are a frequent cause of work
absenteeism. In 60-90% of the cases, the clinical symptoms of these diseases,
mostly radical in nature, are disorders of the peripheral nervous system. The
neurological complications are often difficult to cure, relapses are frequent
and the condition tends to become chronic." "In treatment of such
patients, Bee Venom can be used to anaesthetize and also to improve the local
blood circulation to reduce the irritation of the sympathetic nerve and to
neutralize the local inflammatory processes and angiospasm. The acupunctural
application of Bee Venom to biologically active points combines the two
methods, thus amplifying the therapeutical effects." "…After 5-6 sessions, favorable therapeutic
results were observed. Sixty-six out of 100 patients who finished the
treatment evidenced considerable results or even complete disappearance of
pain, an abatement of the neurological symptoms of 50 to 100% and a remission
of 1-3 years." "In 23 cases, the treatment proved relatively
effective. The pain incidence had been reduced considerably or recurred only
in specific circumstances. The neurological symptoms decreased by 50%. In 11
patients, no improvement was found." "Follow-up studies on 50
patients for a period of three years showed that in 45 cases the favorable
results were lasting. Twenty-five patients were given a new shorter treatment
with Bee Venom so as to prevent relapses. In these cases, the results were
entirely successful."
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CANCER IN BEEKEEPERS
Dr.
D.C. Jarvis, M.D. of Vermont writes in "Folk Medicine" "I
spent two years checking the observation that beekeepers do not have cancer.
Charles Mraz a beekeeper in Vermont helped me in this study. Together we were
unable to find a single case of cancer in beekeepers or learn of one who had
died of the disease. We did find a case of Hodgkin's Disease contracted
before the man started keeping bees and eating Honey. It was cured after he
began his new occupation. In his international search for cancer among
beekeepers, Dr. B. Beck discovered one case. That was a man who died of skin
cancer in Hawaii.
Dr. W.
Schweisheimer, in an article in "Gleanings in Bee Culture," Sept.
1967 stated, "A strange observation some 20 years ago had been made by
the Berlin Cancer Institute. Its scientists and doctors had never seen a bee
keeper who was suffering from cancer." "For many years they had
turned their attention to this particular problem. Another discovery they
made was that they never saw a beekeeper who was suffering from gout. This is
an observation which has been described frequently and which dates back a
good many centuries. It has been repeated time and again."
The
annual Report of the New York Cancer Research Institute, Inc., 1965, stated,
"Since acute inflammation seems to be one of the body's important
defenses not only against infections, but against cancer, how cautious should
we be in using the many anti-inflammatory drugs, such as the antihistamines,
and more especially cortisone and its derivatives? Why do beekeepers have the
lowest incidence of cancer? Perhaps it is because they are continually
receiving injections of Bee Venom - i.e. bee stings, which cause an acute
inflammation reaction, liberating histamine which then activates the
reticuloendothelial system - another important defense mechanism against
cancer." The Third Apimondia International Apitherapy Symposium, 1978,
Dr. B.N. Orlov, USSR, reported, "Of the many diseases treated with Bee
Venom, its highest efficiency was recorded in affections (disease) of the
peripheral nervous system (radiculitis, neuritis, neuralgia), of the joints
(arthritis, spondylosis), and of rheumatic and allergenic affections. …Bee Venom in its main constitute, Mellitin, accounts for
fifty percent of its compositions. Mellitin is a simple polypeptide chain
consisting of twenty-six amino acid radicals. Another polypeptide in Bee
Venom is Apamine. The Apamine molecule is smaller than that of Mellitin,
consisting of eighteen amino acid radicals. Another peptide component of Bee
Venom is the MSD peptide, which degranulates basophil cells. It consists of
twenty-two amino acid radical. Another polypeptide which has been recently
separated from Bee Venom is Minimine whose chemical structure has not bee
sufficiently studied."
"In
addition to the polypeptides whose molecular weight is small, there are also
two other components in Bee Venom: two enzymes - Phospholipase A and
Hyaluronidase which play an important part in the effect of the Bee Venom.
Phospholipase A splits lecithin - a phospholipid which is widely spread in
the body, turning it into lysolecithin which degrades cell membranes. Hyaluronidase
splits the hyaluronic acid - a constituent element of the fundamental
substance the conjunctive tissue, thereby spreading the active factors of Bee
Venom throughout the body." "Bee Venom has strong effect on the
functions of the cardio-vascular system too. Intravenous inoculation in
animals caused decrease of the blood pressure in arteries for a short time.
The duration of this effect depends on the dose of Bee Venom. With certain
doses however, moderate reduction in the blood pressure was obtained which
resulted in a higher blood flow in the vessels of the circulatory system.
Another important action of Bee Venom is a stimulus for the activity of the
hypophysis and the suprarenal glands." A polypeptide with 100 times
higher anti-inflammatory effect than that of hydrocortisone has been recently
identified in Bee Venom. Consequently, Bee Venom was successfully used in
inflammatory affections in patients and in laboratory animals. American and
Soviet researchers have reported an effect on protection from radioactivity.
It was found that administration of non-toxic doses of Bee Venom in mice has
substantially increased their resistance to X-rays as compared to the control
groups.
In the
Directions approved by the Medical Board of the USSR Ministry of Health,
treatment with Bee Venom is recommended in the following affections:
Rheumatical
affections
Non-specific
infectious poly arthritis
Deforming
spondylarthrosis
Affections
of the peripheral nervous system
Tropic
ulcerations and atonic wounds
Surgical
cases of vascular affections
Inflammatory
infiltration
Asthma
Migraines
Hypertonic
affections - first and second stages
Iritis
The
stimulating effect of Bee Venom on the activity of the hypophysis and
suprarenal glands - determined by Soviet researchers, is the scientific
support for the positive effect of Bee Venom in a number of affections. It is
known that in collagen disorders, in allergenic affections, etc., treatment
with corticoids (steroid hormones) and with adrenocortico-trophic hormones
(ACTH) is applied. Stimulation of the activity of the hypophysis and of
adrenal glands increases hormone secretion. In such cases, account must be
taken of the anti-inflammatory action of Bee Venom. Another important effect
of Bee Venom is the inhibition of ganglions, which explains its therapeutic
effect in hypertonic affections and obliterating endarderitis. Another
significant property of Bee Venom is its analgesic effect thanks primarily to
its main component - Melittin. The analgesic effect of Bee Venom provides for
considerably larger possibilities in particular in medical gymnastics.
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BEE VENOM'S EFFECT ON BLOOD PRESSURE
Dr.
N.N. Anchichkov, USSR:
Folk medicine is aware that Bee Venom lowers blood pressure. This property of
Bee Venom is confirmed also by experiments with animals. In studies conducted
with dogs it was proven that intravenous injections of the venom of one bee
causes a certain lowering of blood pressure; injection of venom of several
dozen bees causes a sharp drop in blood pressure. The drop in blood pressure
caused by the effect of Bee Venom is conditioned by dilatation of peripheral
blood vessels due to the presence of histamine in the Bee Venom, which
possesses a vasodilative effect. Experiments of pharmacologists showed that
histamine has a vasodilative effect even in dilution's of 1:250,000,000 and
1:500,000,000. Many patients with hypertensive disease underwent treatment
with Bee Venom or started working in an apiary where they were repeatedly
subjected to bee stings. Their general state improved rapidly, their blood
pressure fell considerably, headaches and irritability disappeared and
ability to work improved.
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