• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this report is to show that oriental medical treatments, chiefly using Sweet bee venom (SBV) are effective on symptom improvements and calcium removal in the patients diagnosed with calcific tendinitis in supraspinatus. Methods : We applied 0.3~0.6cc of SBV on $LI_{15}$ ($Gyeonu$) at a time and 0.1~0.2cc on each surrounding pressure point. In addition, we treated $Hwangryeonhaedok-tang$ pharmacopuncture on both acupoints of $GB_{21}$ ($Gyeonjeong$) with large intestine tonification of $Sa-Am$. Results : The symptoms improved within 3 weeks in case 1, 4 days in case 2, 5 weeks in case 3. The removal of calcium was detected by radiology at all cases. Conclusions : From the above results, it is considered that the oriental medical therapy including SBV is effective on the removal of calcium.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.19-36
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• 2004

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Bee Venom and Melittin Solution on the lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and sodium nitroprusside(SNP)-induced expression of prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$, cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), nuclear factor kappa B($NF-{\kappa}B$) and nuclear factor kappa B($NF-{\kappa}B$) dependent luciferase activity in RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line. Methods : The expression of PGE2 was determined by determination of $PEG_2$, COX-2 was by western blotting with corresponding antibodies, $NF-{\kappa}B$ was by gel mobility shift assay method and $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent luciferase activity was investigated by luciferase assay in RAW 264.7 cells. Results : 1. LPS and SNP-induced expression of $PEG_2$ was significant after 24hour. 2. The 0.5, 1 and $5{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom and the 5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of melittin solution inhibited significantly LPS-induced expression of $PEG_2$ and, the $5{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom and the 5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of melittin solution inhibited significantly SNP-induced expression of $PEG_2$ compared with control, respectively. The 0.5 and $1{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom could not significantly inhibit SNP-induced expression of $PEG_2$ compared with control. 3. The $5{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom and the 5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of melittin solution inhibited significantly LPS and SNP-induced expression of COX-2 compared with control, respectively. The 0.5 and $1{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom inclined to decrease LPS and SNP-induced expression of COX-2 compared with control. 4. The 0.5, 1 and $5{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom and the 5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of melittin solution inhibited significantly LPS and SNP-induced expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ compared with control, respectively. 5. The 0.5, 1 and $5{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom and the 5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of melittin solution inhibited significantly LPS-induced expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent luciferase activity and the 1 and $5{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom and the 5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of melittin solution inhibited significantly SNP-induced expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent luciferase activity compared with control, respectively. The $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor also inhibited significantly LPS and SNP-induced expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent luciferase activity compared with control. 6. The 0.5, 1 and $5{\mu}g/mL$ of bee venom and the 5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of melittin solution inhibited significantly LPS + IFN-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$ and LPS + TNF-${\alpha}$-induced expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent luciferase activity compared with control, respectively. The $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor also inhibited significantly LPS and SNP-induced expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent luciferase activity compared with control. Conclusions : These results suggest the inhibitory action of bee venom and melittin solution on the inflammatory mediators such as $PEG_2$, COX-2 and $NF-{\kappa}B$.

• 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.13 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2010

Objectives : This study is to report the percentage of localized itching which occurred, when we injected to patients with Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV). Methods : We investigated 374 patients who had injected with Sweet BV in our clinic from February 15. 2009 to April 30, 2010. We checked the number and percentage of patients who occured localized itching on injection area. Then we analyzed those according to times in treatment, the body parts of injection and treatment dosage. Results and Conclusion : Localized itching was lower by 1.60% in the first treatment with Sweet BV. However localized itching was 12.83% in the whole course of treatment, which showed a similar incidence of 13% in Bee Venom. Therefore it can be interpreted that Sweet BV may help suppress the immune responses such as itching in the initial treatment, but the occurrence of local immune responses of Sweet BV may be similar to that of Bee Venom in continued treatment. We suppose that we should be careful of the occurrence of local immune responses as Bee Venom at least until the fourth treatment in clinical application with Sweet BV, although localized itching did not occur in the first treatment. Also we should be careful of treatment with Sweet BV in body parts, such as wrist, hand, chest and abdominal, because the percentage of localized itching was relatively high in those parts.

• 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 Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.77-86
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• 2011

Objective : This study was designed to evaluate the effect of bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy in patients with FBSS(failed back surgery syndrome). Methods : We investigated 30 cases of patients with FBSS, who had been treated from October 2010 to July 2011. We divided patients into two groups : group I was treated by acupuncture therapy only, and group II was treated by bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy and general acupuncture. We measured the efficacy of treatments using the numerical rating scale(NRS) and grade and straight leg raising(SLR) test. Results : 1. The treatment method for group II was more effective than that of group I in reducing the NRS score on the fifteenth day after admission but there was no statistically significant difference between the results of two groups on the fifth day after admission and the tenth day after admission. 2. The treatment method for group II was more effective than that of group I in NRS improvement rate from its admission day to the fifth day after admission and from the tenth day after admission to the fifteenth day after admission but there was no statistically significant difference between the performance of two groups from the fifth day after admission to the tenth day after admission. 3. Group II had a higher grade improvement rate from the seventh day after admission to the fifteenth day after admission than group I but no statistically significant difference was observed between the results of two groups from its admission day to the seventh day after admission. 4. In SLR test improvement rate the treatments applied to group II was more effective than those applied to group I. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy is effective in reducing pain for patients with FBSS. Further clinical research is needed to verify these results and findings.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.73-86
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• 2001

Objective : These case study were made to evaluate and observe the treatment for the Herpes-Zoster through the korean oriental medicine. Method : Clinical observation and analysis about 4 cases of Herpes-zoster including the Ramsay's-hunt syndrome had been done the patients of the Sang-Ji Oriental Medicine Hospital. These cases were mainly treated with oriental medicine using the Herb medication, Korean Bee-Venom therapy, Acupuncture and Electro-acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture technic was mainly used Sa-Am acupuncture(Four needle technique). Result : After treatment, all of cases were completely cured without any complication. Conclusion : Based on the clinical results, Korean Oriental Medicine is believed to be effective for treating Herpes-zoster, and further studies should be conducted to provide more valuable information.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.21-32
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• 2006

Purpose : Bee Venom Acupuncture(BVA) is known to affect inflammation and immune system. This study examined the macroscopic, hormonal and immunological effects of BVA on rats with surgically induced endometriosis. Methods : Endometrial tissue was implanted in the serosal wall of the small intestine in rats. The rats were divided randomly into an experimental and control group. The experimental group was treated with BVA injection on kwanwon(CV4) three times per week, and the control group was given an oral dose of normal saline every day. 6 weeks later, the size of the ectopic uterine tissue was estimated, and the serum progesterone, estradiol and cytokine($TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-l0) concentrations were analyzed. Results : The size of the ectopic uterine implants in the experimental group was much smaller than that in the control group. The estradiol, IL-2 concentrations were significantly lower and the IL-6, IL-I0 concentrations were significantly higher in the serum of the experimental group than in the control group, there was no significant difference in the concentration of the other cytokine. Conclusion : These results suggest that BVA is an effective treatment for endometriosis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.35-50
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• 2003

In order to study the effect of Bee venom(BV) on the subarachnoid hemorrhage animal model, the autologous whole blood was applied to the vicinity of the sprague dawley rat right femoral artery. Following periarterial application of autologous whole blood(PAB) and intraperitoneal injection of BV(1:5,000 nd 1:500), the vasomotor responses to BV(from 1:500,000 to 1:500) were identified and the histological changes, neovascularized blood vessel were observed. We have shown that alterations in vasomotor and histological findings are elicited following application of periarterial blood and i.p. injection of BV(1:5,000 and 1:500) induced heavy vasospasm and neovascularization on the subarachnoid hemorrhage like model form peripheral artery.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.57-69
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to know the effects of the bee venom pharmacopuncture on muscle activity and pain reception of trapezius and deltoid the upper limbs muscles. Methods : We allocated healthy volunteers into two groups. After having exercise with barbell for load to trapezius and deltoid, we measured sEMG(surface electromyography) and VAS(visual analogue scale). In a moment, inject bee venom pharmacopuncture and saline each group. After 30 minutes, we measured sEMG and VAS again. We compared before and after sEMG and VAS data. Results : On sEMG data, bee venom pharmacopuncture had effects on muscle fatigue on left trapezius, muscle fatigue and fatigue and recovery on right trapezius and both deltoid. On VAS data, values of bee venom pharmacopuncture decreased more than that of saline. Conclusions : These results show that bee venom pharmacopuncture have effects on muscle activity aid pain reception of trapezius and deltoid the upper limbs muscle. But further studies should be carried out to verify the exact effects of bee venom.