Benefits of bee venom therapy Stings said to relieve arthritic pain
T
he medicinal use of bees has been a mainstay in ancient medicine. From Chinese texts to Hippocrates’ writings, Egyptians medicinal ointment made from bees, to Greek physician Galen, treatments made from bees were common. “It’s been going on for years and years,” said the late James Stephens, of Cassville. Bees are crucial to the ecosystem — they pollinate plants and flowers, ensuring that crops grow to feed the world’s population. “We wouldn’t have food if it wasn’t for the bees,” said Bonita Young of K&B Honeybees in Cassville. “One third of the food we eat comes from pollination.” “It’s been said that, without pollination, we would really be in dire straits for food because every third bite you take is a result of pollination,” said beekeeper Leon Riggs of Monett. They also produce honey, which has numerous beneficial properties that have been shown to enhance immune function and help with allergies.
Story by Julia Kilmer
Bees work together efficiently in male groups called drones to make honey, which is believed to never go bad. The delicious, sticky-sweet substance was even found in King Tut’s tomb. An entire branch of alternative medicine called Apitherapy exists that uses honey bee products like honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and even venom from bee stings to treat medical conditions. Honey bee venom is powerful, as anyone who has been stung can attest. It has the power to kill and the power to heal. But even more powerful than how intense a bee sting feels is what it contains, as the venom has more than 40 active substances, many of which have potent physiological and pharmaceutical effects. The most abundant is an anti-inflammatory called melittin, which causes the body to produce cortisol, part of the body’s
own healing elixir. Melittin is 100 times more potent than the common anti-inflammatory hydrocortisone, having the ability to slow the body’s inflammatory response, which is why the venom has shown promise in treating inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and immune system disorders. Some even believe bees have an innate way of stinging where it is needed most. As far back as 1888, Austrian physician Phillip Terc published a paper on one of the first clinical studies involving bee stings titled, Report About a Peculiar Connection Between the Beestings and Rheumatism. From there, bee sting therapy use expanded throughout Europe and the United States. In the 21st Century, some clinical studies have been conducted, but most utilize bee stings on their own
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