Apitherapy, or bee therapy, is the use of products of the common honeybee for therapeutic purposes. (The term comes from the Latin apis, which means "bee.") Honeybee venom, bee pollen, raw honey, royal jelly, and propolis are the products generally considered to have medicinal effects. These products are said to be effective against a wide range of ailments, from arthritis and chronic pain to multiple sclerosis and cancer, although few scientific studies have as yet proved their benefits.
The origin :
The history of apitherapy extends back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and China. Even Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the "father of medicine," used bee venom to treat arthritis and other joint problems. Austrian physician Phillip Terc initiated the modern study of bee venom and intentional bee stings when he published his article "Report about a Peculiar Connection Between the Beestings and Rheumatism" in 1888. The late beekeeper Charles Mraz of Middlebury, Vermont, is credited with popularizing bee venom therapy over the past 60 years in the United States. Today, thousands of medical professionals and lay practitioners use apitherapy throughout the world.
Working :
The five popular honeybee products work in different ways to treat various ailments and conditions.
Bee venom is administered either by needle or by actual bee sting. Chemical studies show that venom contains a number of powerful anti-inflammatory substances, including adolapin and melittin. Said to be a hundred times more powerful than hydrocortisone, melittin stimulates the production of cortisol, a natural steroid that also acts as an anti-inflammatory. Not surprisingly, bee venom therapy (or BVT) is often used for conditions that involve inflammation, such as tendinitis, bursitis, and rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Bee pollen is typically marketed as an energy-boosting nutritional supplement. This bee product contains vitamins, minerals, and protein, but no more so than many ordinary foods. Some advocates believe that bee pollen is a beneficial treatment for seasonal allergies, because ingesting small amounts builds up resistance to pollen. Claims that bee pollen helps athletes improve performance or that it slows the aging process are not backed up by any scientific evidence, however.
Raw honey is a quick source of energy (like sugar) and a natural storehouse of B vitamins and various minerals. It has mild antibacterial and antibiotic properties, and it can help soothe sore throats. Those who use it believe that raw honey, which has not been filtered, heat-treated, or processed in any way, is more healthful than processed honey. In some studies, raw honey has been used to suppress bacterial growth, particularly in open wounds.
Royal jelly is a milky white substance produced in the salivary glands of worker bees as a food source for the queen bee--and it may be what dramatically extends the queen's life and enhances her fertility. There have been numerous claims about royal jelly's beneficial effects on a variety of medical problems, including fatigue, infertility, asthma, and lack of appetite; these are mainly anecdotal and not substantiated in clinical testing. Interestingly, however, animal and human studies have shown that royal jelly contains ingredients capable of lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. Based on its effect on the queen bee, royal jelly occasionally appears as an ingredient in women's cosmetics, especially wrinkle creams. There is no evidence that royal jelly retards aging (or aging skin) in anyone except bees, however.
Propolis sometimes called "bee glue" is a sticky resin that seeps from the buds of certain trees the bees prefer poplar and oozes from the bark of others (chiefly conifers). Worker bees collect it, add their salivary secretions to it, and use it to coat the inside of the hive. Propolis has been shown to contain antibacterial compounds and can be effective as a salve for cuts and bruises. It is also a source of flavonoids, potent antioxidants that can help prevent cell damage caused by free radicals.
Precautions :
Close attention should be paid to contraindications to any of the api-products, their relation to a specific health condition and interaction with medications taken currently or in the past by the recipient.The principle receiver of the therapy should be prepared to initiate life-style and dietary changes, and to be an active participant in the healing process to maximize the benefits of api-products.An emergency allergy kit should be kept on hand all the time in the event of an emergency.
An allergy test should be performed before administering any of the api-products, but in particular before administering bee venom. The test should be conducted by a qualified health practitioner in a medical clinic equipped with proper materials and designated life saving emergency procedures.The apitherapy treatment should be individualized contemplating the general state of health of the principle receiver, the health condition to be treated, and the route of delivery of the applicable api-product(s) for the condition.
The use of api-products in conjunction with one another may have a secondary indication for a specific health condition, support and amplify the healing effect of the principle product, in which the treatment outcome should be encouraged.The over use of any of the api-products should be avoided, particularly the over use of bee venom.Medications prescribed prior to apitherapy under conventional care may slow or nullify the beneficial effect(s) of a particular api-product.
The effect of api-products may be lessened or fully neutralized (antidote) with the simultaneous, but non-rationalized application of another api-product, food, drink, cosmetics or some of their ingredients.The duration of an apitherapy treatment is proportional with the severity of the treated health condition, the proper execution of therapy guidelines, the knowledge of the therapy provider and the necessary positive attitude, willingness and participation of the principle receiver.After an unspecified period of time of symptom relief, re-initiating and repeating the apitherapy treatment may be needed to maintain an improved health status that previously did not respond to conventional therapies.
Health Benefits :
There have been few controlled scientific studies proving the value of bee venom, bee pollen, raw honey, royal jelly, or propolis, but there are many anecdotal reports about their health benefits. One difficulty with controlled studies of bee venom is that a proper placebo is impossible to create; if you're stung by a bee.
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, bee venom is commonly used to treat diseases such as arthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis. It is also used to relieve chronic back and neck pain. Some apitherapists report that bee venom can also help break down and soften scar tissue, flattening scars and lightening them. This idea is supported by the fact that bee venom contains powerful enzymes that can break through scar tissue.
Bee venom therapy is additionally reported to decrease spasms and fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients and to increase the patients' stability. The National Multiple Sclerosis Association funded research at Allegheny University in Philadelphia to explore the possible benefits of apitherapy. The preliminary results of experiments conducted with laboratory mice, reported in 1998, found no beneficial effect against the course of an MS-like disease. Research is ongoing, however.
