• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-65
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• 2017

Objectives The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of Non-toxic bee venom (BV) and observe VAS change before and after Non-toxic BV treatment in pain patients. Methods We surveyed the clinical practitioners who treated with Non-toxic BV in pain patients who visited the Korean medical clinic. The questionnaire survey was conducted for clinical practitioners who agreed to participate after hearing the explanation for the purpose and characteristics of the questionnaire. Patients in the questionnaires were reviewed based on their medical records from July 1, 2016 to October 28, 2016. Results We received 445 cases and selected 403 cases finally. 2 cases, however, were not able to continue treatment for 3 weeks and were eliminated. Depending on when the pain occurred, we divided the 401 cases into three groups (Acute, Subacute, Chronic group). In all groups, VAS scores were significantly decreased after treatment. Adverse reactions following Non-toxic BV treatment had occurred was 16 cases (3.60%). Except for 3 cases with hives, most of adverse reactions were mild or moderate and were not in need of extra treatment. The total safety of treatment for 3 weeks was mostly safe. The number of cases discontinued treatment was 42 cases (9.44%). Most of these cases, treatment was stopped for personal reason unrelated to the Non-toxic BV treatment. Conclusions These results suggest that the Non-toxic BV treatment has no serious adverse reactions and is a relatively safe treatment. Further studies are needed to prove the efficacy and clinical safety of Non-toxic BV treatment.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.40-51
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• 2002

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Bee Venom on the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression phospholipase $A_2$, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitrogen oxide synthase, and the generation of arachidonic acid, prostaglandin D2 and E2 in RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line. Methods : The expression of phospholipase $A_2$, cyclooxygenase and inducible nitrogen oxide synthase was determined by western blotting with corresponding antibodies, and the generation of arachidonic acid, prostaglandin $D_2$ and $E_2$ was assayed by ELISA method in RAW 264.7 cells. The non-toxic concentrations (0.1 to $5\;{\mu}g/ml$) of bee venom determined by MTT assay, were used in this study. Results : 1. Bee venom inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of phospholipase $A_2$ in a dose dependent manner after 48 hours treatment. 2. Bee venom inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in a dose dependent manner after 24 and 48 hours treatment. 3. Bee venom inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of inducible nitrogen oxidesynthase in a dose dependent manner after 48 hours treatment. 4. The generation of arachidonic acid, prostaglandin $D_2$ and $E_2$ was not much affected by the treatment of bee venom on the lipopolysaccharide-induced generation of arachidonic acid, prostaglandin $D_2$ and $E_2$ in RAW 264.7 cells.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.52-62
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• 2002

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Bee Venom on NO, $H_2O_2$ expression induced by LPS in Raw 264.7 cells as a murine marcrophage cell line and on IL-1 expression induced by LPS in D10S cells. Methods : The expression of NO was measured by MTT Assay and IL-1 by MTS Assay. The expression of $H_2O_2$ was measured as ROS level within the cell using by FACS analysis. The non-toxic concentration(from $0.1\;{\mu}g/ml\;to\;5\;{\mu}g/ml$) of Bee Venom was determined by MTT Assay. Results : 1. Bee Venom inhibited the NO expression. The effective concentration of Bee Venom was $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ after 3 hours, 1 and $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ after 1 day and 2 days. The all concentration of Bee Venom inhibited the NO expression after 6, 12 hours and 3 days. 2. Bee Venom inhibited the $H_2O_2$ expression in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control. 3. Bee Venom could not significantly inhibit the IL-1 expression.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.43-61
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was performed to analyse single dose toxicity of Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV) extracted from the bee venom in Beagle dogs. Methods : All experiments were conducted under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical study authorized institution. Male and female Beagle dogs of 5-6 months old were chosen for the pilot study of single dose toxicity of Sweet BV which was administered at the level of 9.0 mg/kg body weight which is 1300 times higher than the clinical application dosage as the high dosage, followed by 3.0 and 1.0 mg/kg as midium and low dosage, respectively. Equal amount of excipient(normal saline) to the Sweet BV experiment groups was administered as the control group. Results : 1. No mortality was witnessed in all of the experiment groups. 2. Hyperemia and movement disorder were observed around the area of administration in all the experiment groups, and higher occurrence in the higher dosage treatment. 3. For weight measurement, Neither male nor female groups showed significant changes. 4. To verify abnormalities of organs and tissues, thigh muscle which treated with Sweet BV, brain, liver, lung, kidney, and spinal cords were removed and histologocal observation using H-E staining was conducted. In the histologocal observation of thigh muscle, cell infiltration, inflammation, degeneration, necrosis of muscle fiber, and fibrosis were found in both thigh tissue. And the changes depend on the dose of Sweet BV. But the other organs did not showed in any abnormality. 5. The maximum dose of Sweet BV in Beagle dogs were over 9 mg/kg in this study. Conclusions : The above findings of this study suggest that Sweet BV is a relatively safe treatment medium. Further studies on the toxicity of Sweet BV should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-24
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• 2011

Objective: This study was performed to analyse four weeks repeated -dose toxicity of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV-pure melittin, the major component of honey bee venom) in rats. Methods: All experiments were conducted under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical study authorized institution. Male and female rats of 5 weeks old were chosen for the pilot study of four weeks repeated-dose toxicity and was injected at the level of 0.56 mg/kg body weight (eighty times higher than the clinical application dosage as the high dosage), followed by 0.28 and 0.14 mg/kg as midium and low dosage, respectively. Equal amount of normal saline was injected as the control group every day for four weeks. Results: 1. No mortality was witnessed in all of the experiment groups. 2. All experiment groups appealed pain sense in the treating time compared to the control group, and side effects such as hyperemia and movement disorder were observed around the area of injection in all experiment groups, and the higher dosage in treatment, the higher occurrence in side effects. 3. Concerning weight measurement, neither male nor female groups showed significant changes compared to the control group. 4. Concerning to the CBC and biochemistry, all experiment groups didn't show any significant changes compared to the control group. 5. Concerning weight measurement of organs, experiment groups didn't show any significant changes compared to the control group. 6. To verify abnormalities of organs and tissues, those such as cerebellum, cerebrum, liver, lung, kidney, and spinal cords were removed and we conducted histologocal observation with H-E staining. Concerning the histologocal observation of liver tissues, some fatty changes were observed around portal vein in 0.56 mg/kg experiment group. But another organs were not detected in any abnormalities. 7. The proper high dosage of SBV for the thirteen weeks repeated test in rats may be 0.28 mg/kg in one time. Conclusion: Above findings suggest that SBV is relatively safe treatment medium. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.5-41
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was performed to analyse four week repeated dose toxicity of Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV) extracted from the bee venom in Beagle dogs. Methods: All experiments were conducted under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical study authorized institution. Male and female Beagle dogs of 5-6 months old were chosen for the pilot study of four week repeated dose toxicity of Sweet BV which was administered at the level of 0.56mg/kg body weight which is eighty times higher than the clinical application dosage as the high dosage, followed by 0.28 and 0.14mg/kg as midium and low dosage, respectively. Equal amount of excipient(normal saline) to the Sweet BV experiment groups was administered as the control group every day for four weeks. Results: 1. No mortality was witnessed in all of the experiment groups. 2. All experiment groups were appealed pain sense in the treating time compared to the control group, and hyperemia and movement disorder were observed around the area of administration in all experiment groups, and higher occurrence in the higher dosage treatment. 3. For weight measurement, Neither male nor female groups showed significant changes. 4. In the urine analysis, CBC and biochemistry didn't show any significant changes in the experiment groups compared with control group. 5. For weight measurement of organs, experiment groups didn't show any significant changes compared with control group. 6. To verify abnormalities of organs and tissues, thigh muscle which treated with Sweet BV, cerebrum, liver, lung, kidney, and spinal cords were removed and conducted histologocal observation with H-E staining. In the histologocal observation of thigh muscle, cell infiltration, inflammatory, degeneration, necrosis of muscle fiber, and fibrosis were found in both thigh tissue. And the changes were depend on the dose of Sweet BV. But another organs were not detected in any abnormalities. 7. The proper high dosage of Sweet BV for the thirteen week repeated test in Beagle dogs may be 0.28mg/kg in one time. Conclusion: Above findings suggest that Sweet BV is relatively safe treatment medium. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2018

Objectives: To observe the mitigating effects of a Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM) treatment program especially including pharmacopuncture, with Cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin chemotherapy on a both sides breast cancer patient. Methods: AA 74 year-old female patient diagnosed with both sides breast cancer (Right) pT1bpN0M0, (Left) pT1cpN1Mx was admitted to hospital of Dong-eui university in May of 2017. She received Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin from May $31^{st}$ to August $2^{nd}$, 2017 followed by TKM treatment consisting of herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion and pharmacopuncture (Trionycis Carapax, Non-toxic Bee Venom, and Cultivated Wild Ginseng Extract) for a period of almost 4 months, from May $13^{th}$ to August $19^{th}$, 2017. Symptoms were evaluated by the grade of chief complaints refer to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). Results: TKM including pharmacopuncture alleviated chemotherapy-induced nausea, fatigue, joint pain, diarrhea, insomnia. Conclusions: This case study potentiates TKM with pharmacopuncture's significant efficacy in aiding breast cancer patients suffering from Cyclophosphamide plus Doxorubicin induced adverse effects. Further research should take place for clear understanding of the exact amount of dosage and safety. Moreover it must be accompanied by long-term follow up researches.