• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 2016

Objectives: Mellitine, a major component of bee venom (BV, Apis mellifera), is more active against gram positive than gram negative bacteria. Moreover, BV has been reported to have multiple effects, including antibacterial, antivirus, and anti-inflammation effects, in various types of cells. In addition, wasp venom has been reported to have antibacterial properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of BV against selected gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains of medical importance. Methods: This investigation was set up to evaluate the antibacterial activity of BV against six grams positive and gram negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Three concentrations of crude BV and standard antibiotic (gentamicin) disks as positive controls were tested by using the disc diffusion method. Results: BV was found to have a significant antibacterial effect against E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella typhyimurium in all three concentrations tested. However, BV had no noticeable effect on other tested bacteria for any of the three doses tested. Conclusion: The results of the current study indicate that BV inhibits the growth and survival of bacterial strains and that BV can be used as a complementary antimicrobial agent against pathogenic bacteria. BV lacked the effective proteins necessary for it to exhibit antibacterial activity for some specific strains while being very effective against other specific strains. Thus, one may conclude, that Apis mellifera venom may have a specific mechanism that allows it to have an antibacterial effect on certain susceptible bacteria, but that mechanism is not well understood.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2020

The European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) has multiple anti-microbial peptides, but many were unknown and demands for their characterization have increased. This study therefore focused on identifying novel anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) from A. mellifera L. To obtain high-throughput transcriptome data of the honeybee, we implemented next-generation sequencing (NGS), isolating novel AMPs from total RNA, and generated 15,314 peptide sequences, including 44 known, using Illumina HiSeq 2500 technology. The uncharacterized peptides were identified based on specific features of possible AMPs predicted in the sequencing analysis. AMP5, one such uncharacterized peptide, was expressed in the epidermis, body fat, and venom gland of the honeybee. We chemically synthesized this peptide and tested its anti-bacterial activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli (KACC 10005) and Gram-positive Bacillus thuringiensis (KACC 10168) by anti-microbial assay. AMP5 exhibited anti-bacterial activity against E. coli (MIC50=22.04±0.66 μM) but not against B. thuringiensis. When worker bees were injected with E. coli, AMP5 was up-regulated in the body fat. This study therefore identified AMP5 in adult European honeybees and confirmed its anti-bacterial activity against Gram-negative E. coli.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2019

There is an urgent need for novel protein sources as an alternative to meat production. Insects, such as honeybees, hold potential as a safe, nutritious and reliable protein source for the future. In the present study, we established optimal powder preprocessing conditions of drone pupae (Apis mellifera L.) for use as a novel food. The content of moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, carbohydrate and crude fiber in drone pupae(Apis mellifera L.) were analyzed. The crude protein content ranged from 48.5 to 51.8% was found in both freeze-dried and hot-air powdered drone pupae. However, the protein content in the freeze-dried powder was higher than that in the hot-air powder by 3.3%. According to the Korean Food Standard Codex test method, coliforms, Salmonella spp. Staphylcoccus aureus, and Enterohamorrhagice Escherichia coli were not detected in both freeze-dried and hot-air powder. Therefore, we suggest that the high protein content of the powdered drone pupae prepared in this study can serve as a novel food.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.99-102
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• 2012

Bee venom (Apis mellifera L. BV) has been used as a cosmetic ingredient for anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity after a single dermal administration of BV, BV was administered to 2 groups of Sprague-Dawley (SD) male and female rats (5 animals/group) at doses of 0 and 1,500 mg/kg body weight (BW). Mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross findings were continually monitored for 15 days following the single dose. There were no unscheduled deaths in any groups during the study period. No BV related clinical signs and body weight changes were observed in any groups during the study period. There were no abnormal gross findings at necropsy on day 15 after the treatment. On the basis of the above results, it was concluded that there were no treatment-related effect on mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross findings in SD rats treated with a single dermal dose of BV at dose of 1,500 mg/kg BW. Therefore, the approximate lethal dose of BV was considered to be over 1,500 mg/kg/day for both sexes of rats. BV may provide a developmental basis for a cosmetic ingredient or external application for topical uses.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.227-237
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• 2018

The majority parasitic bee mites of Thailand in genus Tropilaelaps are infesting colonies of native bees (Apis dorsata) and introduced bees (A. mellifera). The investigation aims to study morphological and genetic variation of Tropilaelaps mites infected different hosts. Adult mites were collected from honey bee brood throughout Thailand. Traditional and geometrical morphometrics were measured on photograph by using TPS program. Additional, COI gene variations were examined by PCR-RFLP and nucleotides sequencing. Tree of mites relationships were constructed by NJ and MP assumptions. Morphometric results indicated T. mercedesae were major species infesting on A. dorsata and A. mellifera. Mophological variation represented at anal and epigynial plate, which the shape of the anal plate apex margin has been key character to identify between T. mercedesae (bell to blunt shape) and T. koenigerum (pear shape). However, the discriminant analysis suggested that geometric results were potential to classify Thai Tropilaelaps populations from different hosts better than traditional morphometric. Otherwise, PCR-RFLP clearly detected the site of Dra I and Xba I digestion of Thai Tropilaelaps morphotypes. The COI sequences of T. koenigerum were founded infesting only A. dorsata in Thailand and four sequences that related to the Thai T. mercedesae morphotypes. The NJ and MP tree were clearly classified Thai Tropilaelaps species which were suggested both from morphological and molecular analysis. This information might be basically of taxonomic status, but this should have implication for controlling these mites in Thailand and other countries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1495-1505
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• 2023

The western honeybee Apis mellifera L., a vital crop pollinator and producer of honey and royal jelly, faces numerous threats including diseases, chemicals, and mite infestations, causing widespread concern. While extensive research has explored the link between gut microbiota and their hosts. However, the impact of Varroa destructor infestation remains understudied. In this study, we employed massive parallel amplicon sequencing assays to examine the diversity and structure of gut microbial communities in adult bee groups, comparing healthy (NG) and Varroa-infested (VG) samples. Additionally, we analyzed Varroa-infested hives to assess the whole body of larvae. Our results indicated a notable prevalence of the genus Bombella in larvae and the genera Gillamella, unidentified Lactobacillaceae, and Snodgrassella in adult bees. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between NG and VG. Furthermore, our PICRUSt analysis demonstrated distinct KEGG classification patterns between larval and adult bee groups, with larvae displaying a higher abundance of genes involved in cofactor and vitamin production. Notably, despite the complex nature of the honeybee bacterial community, methanogens were found to be present in low abundance in the honeybee microbiota.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.155-162
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• 1999

This study was performed to assess that clinco-therapeutic effect of natural Italian honeybee (Apis mellifera) venom in adjuvant-induced arthritic rat. Ninety Sprague- Dawley rats of male were injected with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Adjuvant arthritis was produced by a single subcutaneous injection of 1 mg Mycobacterium butyricum suspended in 0.1 ml paraffin oil into the right hindpaw. Righting reflex was uniformly lost and considered to be the point of arthritis development on day 14 after CFA injection. Experimental groups were divided into three groups. When arthritis was developed in the rat hind-paw, tested groups were administrated with prednisolone (10 mg/kg, p.o) and honeybee venom (one bee, s.c) at an interval of two days. Control group was subcutaneously injected with 0.1 ml of physiological saline solution in the rat at an interval of two days. Clinical findings, hematological values and histopathological findings were observed during or after the drugs administration. In tested groups, the development of inflammatory edema and polyarthritis on day 14 after treatment was suppressed. No significant differences of hindpaw edema volume and lameness score between prednisolone and honeybee venom groups were observed during or after therapeutic drugs treatment. WBC counts of prednisolone and honeybee venom treatment groups as compared with the control group were getting remarkably decreased during or after the therapeutic drugs administration(p＜0.01). Erosions of articular cartilage and inflammatory cell infiltrations during or after the therapeutic drugs treatment was effectively suppressed in natural honey venom.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 2019

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) forage in agricultural areas, and are exposed to diverse pesticide poisoning. Toxic effects on Apis mellifera of different groups of pesticides were tested in the laboratory; fungicide (Metconazole), herbicide (Glyphosate), acaricide (Amitraz), organophosphate insecticide(Fenitrothion) and neonicotinoid insecticides(Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Dinotefuran and Clothianidin). Commercial formulations were serially diluted from the recommended concentration (RC) to 10-6 times to carry out feeding and contact tests. Toxicity was transformed into lethal dose (LD50) and hazard question (HQ). The acute toxicity of pesticides showed similar patterns between feeding and contact tests. But feeding tests showed greater toxic to honey bee than contact test. The organophosphate and nitro-neonicotinoid insecticides were highly toxic with HQ values ranging greater than 1. However, cyano-neonicotinoids of Thiacloprid and Acetamiprid showed low toxicity. Even at the RC, 24 hr mortalities were 18 and 30%. The acaricide (Amitraz) showed intermediate level of toxicity at RC but negligible at the concentration lower than 10-1 times. A fungicide(Metconazole) and herbicide(Glyphosate) showed minimal impacts. The results imply that the selective use of pesticides could help conservation of pollinators in agricultural production systems.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.17-21
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• 2020

The response of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) pollination on canola yield with reference to most suitable number of bee hive need per unit area of crops in order to meet optimum pollination needs and better economic yields by comparing number of hives and yield components an experiment was conducted at Beekeeping and Hill Fruit Pests Research, Station Rawalpindi during 2017-18 in complete randomized block design with two sets of four treatments for comparison: 1 hive acre^-1, 2 hives acre^-1, 3 hives acre^-1 and 0 hive acre^-1. The hives were kept inside the experimental area. Parameters were assessed: pollination density, pollinator's diversity, agronomic and economic yield. In case of pollination density, the cumulative mean abundance bee species revealed that at 1200 hours, Apis mellifera was the most abundant and frequent visitor with a mean population of 8.69 bees/plant followed by A. dorsata (0.72), Syrphid fly (0.2) and other pollinators. Minimum bee population was observed during 1400 hours, mainly due to the closure of flowers and partially due to high temperature (>35℃). Pollinator diversity revealed that A. mellifera was the most dominant pollinator of Brassica crop with highest abundance (71%). A. dosata ranked 2^nd (16%) followed by A. florea (6%) respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.144-148
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• 2021

This study aimed to analyze the content and composition of a biological amine, cadaverine, isolated from the venom of worker honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). This biological amine―which has diverse functionality, such as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects―has not been previously reported in bee venom. An assay completed in 13 minutes was developed for the cadaverine present in the bee venom using an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph and a Halo C18 column with acetonitrile and water as the mobile phase. The specificity, accuracy, and precision of the assay were verified, and the assay was validated. The linearity for cadaverine in the bee venom was R2=0.99 or above, indicating a moderate level. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were both 0.3 ㎍/ml, and the rate of recovery was 97.6%-99.1%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the intra-day precision and inter-day precision for cadaverine was 0.25%-0.44% and 0.25%-1.25%, respectively, with an RSD that fell within 5% indicating excellent precision. Through this novel assay, it was found that the mean content of cadaverine was 1.10±0.05 mg/g. Our results indicated that the linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, and rate of recovery of the cadaverine assay were of a satisfactory level, and the cadaverine content of the bee venom was ably determined. This study provides basic data on cadaverine in bee venom, which will prove useful in further studies on the bioactivity of this component.