General pharmacological profiles of bee venom and its water soluble fractions in rodent models.
Recently, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory efficacy of bee venom (BV, Apis mellifera) has been confirmed in rodent models of inflammation and arthritis. Interestingly, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of whole BV can be reproduced by two water-soluble fractions of BV (>20 kDa:BVAF1 and<10 kDa: BVAF3). Based on these scientific findings, BV and its effective water-soluble fractions have been proposed as potential anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive pharmaceuticals. While BV's anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties have been well documented, there have been no careful studies of potential, side effects of BV and its fractions when administered in the therapeutic range (BV, 5 microgram/kg; BVAF1, 0.2 microgram/kg: BVAF3, 3 microgram/kg; subcutaneous or intradermal). Such information is critical for future clinical use of BV in humans. Because of this paucity of information, the present study was designed to determine the general pharmacological/physiological effects of BV and its fractions administration on the rodent central nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal system. Subcutaneous BV and its fractions treatment did not produce any significant effects on general physiological functions at the highest dose tested (200-fold and 100-fold doses higher than that used clinically, respectively) except writhing test. These results demonstrate that doses of BV or BV subfractions in the therapeutic range or higher can be used as safe antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory agents.
Kim
Hyun-Woo
HW
Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
Kwon
Young-Bae
YB
Ham
Tae-Won
TW
Roh
Dae-Hyun
DH
Yoon
Seo-Yeon
SY
Kang
Seuk-Yun
SY
Yang
Il-Suk
IS
Han
Ho-Jae
HJ
Lee
Hye-Jung
HJ
Beitz
Alvin J
AJ
Lee
Jang-Hern
JH
D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects*
D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001514:Bee Venoms