Apitoxin or honey bee venom
Characteristics
Bee venom (Apitoxin) can be found under two major forms:
- liquid, as it is immediately after extraction or when it is injected by the bee through her stinger;
- dried, after collection with special devices (bee venom collectors).
Liquid, pure, bee venom
"Bee venom is a colourless, sharp-bitter tasting liquid with an aromatic odour that is similar to ripe bananas. It is slightly acidic (pH 5.0 to 5.5). Liquid bee venom on blue litmus paper changes the colour to red indicating an acidic reaction. However, the aqueous solution of whole dried bee venom does not show this effect, suggesting that volatile compounds create the acidic properties. Bee venom dries at an ambient temperature within about 20 minutes and loses 65% to 70% of its original weight. After the liquid has evaporated 0.1 mg. of pure whole dried venom can be collected (per bee sting)." (Michael Simics, "Bee Venom, Exploring the Healing Power", 1994, p.12).
Dried bee venom
"The pure whole dried venom has a yellowish brown colour. The specific weight is 1.313 g/cm3. The toxicity expressed as LD50 is 2.8 mg/kg (mice, i.v.). LD50 means that 50% of the mice will die when 2.8 mg. of venom per kilogram body weight is intravenously injected into them. Bee venom is cold resistant and freezing does not seem to reduce its toxicity. It is also heat resistant when dry, even at 100°C. Dried bee venom, if protected from moisture, can retain its toxic properties for several years." (Michael Simics, "Bee Venom, Exploring the Healing Power", 1994, p.12).
A.N. Melnichenko & O.V. Kapralova:
"Dried bee venom has a polycrystalline structure. Examinations under the microscope showed that bee venom, as drops of its watery solution dry, assumes characteristic physical structure, the components comprising it being of various forms and sizes. It is not difficult to quickly determine the classification of the venom (bee venom, wasp, hornet, Eve-viper venom) based on physical structure. No chemical combination with some substance or other occurs… Bee venom is not destructible." (Munich 1969, at the XXII-Nd. Apimondia Congress).
The dried whole bee venom should have the following organoleptical and physico-chemical properties:
colour: colourless or light grey
aspect: crystalline mass
consistency: dens
smell: irritant, characteristic (specific)
taste: sharp-astringent
purity: no impurities
solubility: soluble in water, insoluble in ammonium-sulphate and alcohol
pH: 4.5 - 5.5.
Methods for quality assessment:
- the aspect and the colour are appreciated visually under natural light;
- consistency: dried bee venom should have a powder-crystalline structure;
- smell and taste are assessed organoleptically;
- purity; bee venom dissolved in distilled water is a perfect solution leaving no deposit in the bottom of the receptacle;
- pH may be tested with Merck paper;
- solubility: it is soluble in water; insoluble in alcohol; it is precipitated by alkali and especially ammonia.
COMPOSITION
List of substances and their properties
Bee venom is a combination of many useful components.
Modern biochemical analytical procedures have been used to identify 18 different components. The major components of bee venom include the following:
PEPTIDES | melittin (family) melittin F apamin mast-cell degranulation peptide 401 (MCD) secarpin tertiapin adolapin protease inhibitor procamine A, B minimine cardiopep |
ENZYMES | phospholipase A2 hyaluronidase acid phosphomonoesterase glucosidase lysophospholipase |
ACTIVE AMINES | histamine dopamine norepinephrine leukotriens |
NON-PEPTIDE COMPONENTS | carbohydrates like: Glucose Fructose |
LIPIDS | 6 phospholipids |
AMINO-ACIDS | r-aminobutyric acid B-aminoisobutyric acid |
Dr. Kim M-H. Christopher, one of the world's best expert in bee venom therapy, has published in Bee Informed, Journal of the American Apitherapy Society (autumn issue, 1997), the following table related to the dried bee venom composition:
COMPONENT | MOL. Wt. | % (Dry Venom) | Reference |
PEPTIDES |
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Melittin | 2,840 | 40-50 | Neumann et al., 1952 |
Apamin | 2,036 | 2-3 | Habermann et al., 1965 |
MCD-Peptide 401 | 2,588 | 2-3 | Fredholm, 1966 |
Adolapin | 11,500 | 1.0 | Shkenderov, 1982 |
Protease inhibitor | 9,000 | < 0.8 | Shkenderov, 1973 |
Secarpin |
| 0.5 | Gauldie et al, 1976 |
Tertiapin |
| 0.1 | Gauldie et al, 1976 |
Melittin F |
| 0.01 | Gauldie et al, 1976 |
Procamine A, B |
| 1.4 | Nelson and O’Connor, 1968 |
Minimine | 6,000 | 2-3 | Lowy et al, 1971 |
Cardiopep |
| < 0.7 | Vick et al, 1974 |
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ENZYMES |
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Hyaluronidase | 38,000 | 1.5-2.0 | Neumann & Habermann |
Phospholipase A2 | 19,000 | 10-12 | Habermann & Neumann, 1957 |
Glucosidase | 170,000 | 0.6 | Shkenderov et al, 1979 |
Acid Phosphomono-esterase | 55,000 | 1.0 | Shkenderov et al, 1979 |
Lysophospholipase | 22,000 | 1.0 | Ivanova et al, 1982 |
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ACTIVE AMINES |
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Histamine |
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Dopamine |
| 0.13-1.0 | Owen, 171 |
Norepinephrine |
| 0.1-0.7 | Owen, 1982 |
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NON-PEPTIDE COMPONENTS |
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Carbohydrates: Glucose & Fructose |
| < 2.0 | O’Connor et al, 1967 |
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LIPIDS |
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6 Phospholipids |
| 4.5 | O’Connor et al, 1967 |
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AMINO-ACIDS |
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r-Aminobutyric acid |
| < 0.5 | Nelson & O’Connor, 1968 |
B-Aminoisobutyric acid |
| < 0.01 | Nelson & O’Connor, 1968 |
B.V. SUBSTANCES AND THEIR EFFECTS:
Phospholipase A (enzyme) |
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Hyaluronidase |
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Melittin (a polypeptide also consisting of 26 amino acids which represents 40-60% of the bee venom) |
Presently, it is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents known, and it can be useful in treating arthritis and rheumatism. |
Mast Cell Degranulating peptide | In many animal studies, in comparison studies with hydrocortisone, this peptide was 100 times more potent as an anti-inflammatory agent in suppressing the development of adjuvant-induced arthritis. (Simics p 13) & quot. |
Cardiopep |
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Adolapin |
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