Apitherapy Health Article

Definition

Apitherapy involves the therapeutic use of honeybee products, including bee pollen, honey, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, and venom, to treat a variety of ailments. The most well-known and well-practiced facet of apitherapy is Bee Venom Therapy (BVT), which involves the medicinal use of bee stings. The venom is thought to reduce inflammation and boost the body's immune system. When most people refer to apitherapy, they are referring to BVT.

Origins

The medicinal use of bees goes back to ancient times. Chinese texts dating back 2,000 years mention it, and Hippocrates wrote about it. The Egyptians were said to treat diseases with an ointment made from bees, and Greek physician and writer Galen (129–c. 199), wrote about bee treatments. In 1888, Phillip Terc, an Austrian physician, published a paper on one of the first clinical studies involving bee stings titled Report About a Peculiar Connection Between the Beestings and Rheumatism. Thereafter, its use expanded throughout Europe and the United States. It spread as a type of folk remedy popularized by anecdotal accounts, but as the twenty-first century approached, the medical community began investigating the therapy, studying its use on a pharmacological level. Though clinical studies had begun by 2000, most people using the therapy were either doing it themselves or with the help of lay practitioners. Physicians were beginning to use the therapy but mostly with an injectable form of the venom.

Benefits

The American Apitherapy Society says it has anecdotal evidence showing bee venom is effective in the treatment of:

• immune system problems, such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis (MS)
• cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, and varicose veins
• endocrine disorders, such as premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, irregular periods, and decreased blood glucose levels
• infections, like herpes simplex 1 and 2, warts, mastitis, and laryngitis
• psychological disturbances, such as depression or mood swings
• rheumatologic disturbances, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, and "tennis elbow"
• skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, corns, warts, and topical ulcers

Apitherapy is thought of as a last-resort treatment but may be beneficial to those who cannot be helped by traditional therapies and medicines. MS patients have reported increased stability, along with less fatigue and muscle spasm, after trying the therapy. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis have said pain and swelling have decreased following the stings. It has also been said to shrink the size of rheumatoid nodules. For those who have not achieved relief with other treatments, apitherapy may help.

Description

Honey bee venom contains more than 40 active substances, many of which have physiological effects. The most abundant compound is an anti-inflammatory agent called melittin. This substance causes the body to produce cortisol, which is an agent of the body's own healing process. As an anti-inflammatory, melittin is 100 times more potent than hydrocortisol. It is noted in Paul L. Cerrato's RN article that experiments have shown that melittin can slow the body's inflammatory response. That is why the venom may be helpful in treating inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Other compounds that may have pharmacological effects include apamin, which works to enhance nerve transmission; adolapin, which is an anti-inflammatory and an analgesic; and other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine and seratonin, which figure in depression.

The most prevalent use of BVT is for immune system and inflammatory disorders. One of the most promising uses may be relieving the symptoms of treatment-resistant MS. More than 1,300 people with MS have sent testimonials to the American Apitherapy Society in support of the treatment saying the therapy helped relieve fatigue and muscle spasm, as well as to restore stability.

Most people receiving the therapy do it themselves or with the help of a lay practitioner. The cost of learning the therapy and the cost for the bees is generally not covered by insurance. The therapy may be covered, however, if prescribed and administered by a physician who uses an injectable form.

To receive treatment, a bee is taken from a jar or hive with a pair of tweezers and held on the body part to be stung. The stinger should be left in for 10 to 15 minutes. The number of stings delivered in a session and the frequency of the sessions varies, depending on the patient's tolerance and the nature of the problem. To treat tendonitis, a patient might need only two to five therapy sessions involving only two to three stings per session. Treating a more chronic problem like arthritis can take several stings per session two to three times per week for up to three months. Treating MS is a prolonged effort. Those who have used it say the therapy must happen two to three times per week for six months in order to start working.

On average, doctors who use the therapy delivered injections one to two times per week. The number of injections varied widely, from one to 30 per session, depending on the ailment being treated.

Physicians who use the therapy do not use live bees. Instead, they obtain venom in an injectable form and inject it under the skin.

Obviously, the more stings or injections to be administered, the more time the therapy is going to take per session.