Besides honey, this product from the beehive is probably the most well-respected aspect of the honeybee. Throughout its history it has been feared and revered. Hippocrates (460-377 BC) identified it as a "strange and mysterious medicine" and was aware of its anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, many people today intentionally use bee venom therapy (BVT) as an effective deterrent to arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, lupus and many other ailments.
The Spring 1996 "Bee Informed" listed the medical benefits of bee venom components as:
 | Apamin - Possible mood elevator and anti-inflammatory; why people feel better after being stung. |
| Melittin - Anti-bacterial, more potent than penicillin against certain bacteria. Also a probable anti-inflammatory: why bee venom helps with infection and inflammation. |
| Mast Cell Degranulating Peptide (MCDP) - Powerful Anti-inflammatory, more than 100 times more effective than hydrocortisone in reducing inflammation; why bee venom reduces pain and inflammation of disease and injury. |
| Adolopin - Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Also an effective pain killer. |
| Whole Venom - Powerful anti-inflammatory. Also an anti-oxidant, much more effective than rutin; a popular bioflavanoid anti-oxidant that is sold as a nutritional supplement. |
This complete article is available from the American Apitherapy Society web site.
BVT is used by thousands of people around the world and most of these people belong to a network of individuals who share their experiences regularly with the American Apitherapy Society .
The efficacy of bee venom treatments for arthritis and other inflammatory/ medical conditions has not been adequately approved in the USA, but is recognized in Romania, Korea, China, and others. In fact, many parts of the world understand the value of bee venom and the Apitherapy website contains a bibliography of all data on Apitherapy.
To learn more about BVT, several new books have been written by a variety of authors including Medical Practitioners, MS patients, Beekeepers and Apitherapists.
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