Bee Venom and Health

Bee venom (apitoxin) is a secretion made up of proteins and peptides, produced in the venom gland at the end of a worker bee's abdomen and delivered with her sting; it is obtained without killing the bee, as a dried powder, using electric collectors placed at the hive entrance. Its main established use in medicine is venom immunotherapy, given under medical supervision by allergists to people allergic to bee venom. Bee venom can cause severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and death; it must never be used at home for "treatment" in any form.

What is bee venom and what does it contain?

In young workers, bee venom builds up in the venom gland and is stored in the venom sac attached to the sting. The queen also has a sting and venom but uses them almost exclusively against rival queens; drones have no sting.

• Melittin: The largest component of dry venom; it is largely responsible for pain and tissue irritation.
• Phospholipase A2: An enzyme that breaks down cell membranes; one of the most important allergens.
• Hyaluronidase: Helps the venom spread through tissue; it is also an allergen.
• Apamin and other peptides, as well as small molecules such as histamine.

The honey bee's sting is barbed. A sting that pierces mammalian skin gets stuck; as the bee pulls away, the sting tears off together with the venom sac and muscles. Because the detached muscles keep contracting for a while, venom continues to be pumped in.

What should you do if a bee stings you?

1. Remove the sting immediately: Scraping it off with a fingernail or the edge of a card is commonly recommended, but what really matters is speed. Waiting lets more venom in than the choice of method does.
2. Move away from the area: The alarm scent released at the sting site attracts other bees too.
3. Apply something cold: It reduces swelling and pain.
4. Watch: Redness, swelling and pain at the sting site are normal. Swelling that covers most of an arm or leg is a "large local reaction"; consult a doctor.

Is bee venom used in medical treatment? The state of the evidence

The main medically accepted use of bee venom is venom immunotherapy, given to people with a severe allergy to bee stings. In this treatment, purified and standardised venom is administered by an allergist in a healthcare facility with emergency care available, starting with very small amounts. The aim is to reduce the person's risk of a severe reaction if stung in future.

Practices such as live bee stings or venom injections for joint pain, rheumatic diseases or diseases of the nervous system are, by contrast, still at the research stage; controlled studies are few and some have shown no benefit. The effects of melittin on various cells are being studied in the laboratory; these are not evidence of treatment in humans.

• With live-bee applications, cases of fatal anaphylaxis have been reported even in people who had previously received them many times without problems.
• For this reason, bee venom can be administered only under medical supervision, in a setting with emergency equipment ready. It is unacceptable for a beekeeper to administer venom to themselves or to others.

How is bee venom collected?

Commercial bee venom is obtained with an electric venom collector. This device consists of a frame with fine wires stretched across it, and beneath it a flat surface covered with glass or a thin sheet. It is placed at the hive entrance or under the lid.

1. Stimulation: A very low electric current is passed through the wires at short intervals.
2. The stinging response: A bee touching the wires becomes defensive and drives her sting into the surface below. Because the sting does not catch in the glass or sheet, the bee usually pulls it back out without losing it.
3. Drying: The droplets of venom deposited dry on the surface.
4. Scraping: The device is removed, and the dried venom is collected with a clean scraper and put straight into a closed container.

Protecting the colony during collection

• Short sessions: Prolonged stimulation exhausts the colony and makes it aggressive.
• A strong colony and a good flow: It is not done with weak colonies or during a dearth.
• Don't repeat it often: Allow enough rest time between sessions on the same colony.
• Avoid hot and tense times of day: Collecting when the colony is already restless causes more stress.

How safe is collecting bee venom for the beekeeper?

Venom collection is one of the riskiest jobs in beekeeping. During collection, large amounts of alarm pheromone are released in and around the hive; the colony can stay defensive for hours.

• Full protective equipment: A suit, sturdy gloves and a well-sealed veil are essential.
• Dust hazard: Dried venom dust, if inhaled, can cause serious irritation of the nose, eyes and airways, and allergic sensitisation. A dust mask and goggles should be worn while scraping.
• Allergy status: It must be known that the operator and helpers are not allergic to bee venom; emergency care and a phone should be at hand.
• Surroundings: Venom is not collected near homes, roads, schools or animal shelters.

Bee venom quality and storage

• Clean scraping: Contamination with wax, pollen, honey and bee fragments lowers the quality.
• Light and moisture: Venom deteriorates in light and damp; a dark, airtight container should be used.
• Cold storage: It should be kept cool, preferably in a freezer, and dry.
• Records: The colony, date and collection conditions should be recorded; buyers usually ask for an analysis.

Effect on the colony and regulations

When done correctly, the bees generally do not lose their stings; but every session is a serious stress for the colony. Frequent and prolonged collection reduces foraging, lowers honey yield and can make aggressiveness permanent. It is not realistic to expect high yields of honey, pollen and venom from the same colony in the same period.

When bee venom is used as a raw material for medicines and medical products, it is subject to strict rules. Before starting production, find out the buyer's requirements and the legislation in your country; do not sell the product directly to consumers for "treatment" purposes.