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Introduction to apitherapy
Apitherapy is a form of alternative medicine in which the products from the bee is used to heal a variety of medical conditions and promote positive health. Raw honey, royal jelly, pollen, propolis, beeswax and bee venom are the most usually used bee products. The term apitherapy is derived from the words apis meaning bee and therapy meaning treatment. Practitioners of apitherapy claim that this form of therapy is effective against a wide range of medical conditions ranging from arthritis and chronic pain to serious medical conditions like cancer, stroke and multiple sclerosis. Despite the claims of apitherapy practitioners, there is very little scientific evidence to support many of the claims of the apitherapy practitioners, however it remains one of the main branches of alternative medicine.
Honey bee venom contains at least 18 active components including Melittin. This is the most prevalent substance and is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents known (It is about hundred times more potent than Cortisol, which is a naturally produced steroid substance). Adolapin is also another strong anti-inflammatory substance, and inhibits the enzyme cyclooxygenase and has has analgesic activity as well. Another compound called apamin inhibits complement C3 activity, and blocks calcium-dependent potassium channels, thus enhancing nerve transmission. Many other substances, such as Compound X, Hyaluronidase, Phospholipase A2, Histamine, and Mast Cell Degranulating Protein (MSDP), are involved in the inflammatory response of venom, with the softening of tissue and the facilitation of flow of the other substances. Finally, there are measurable amounts of the neurotransmitters Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Seratonin.
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