• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.115-120
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• 2006

Objective : The clinic study or report about Oriental Medical treatment about osteonecrosis is very insufficient. Therefore, we report a case about a sequela of operation of talus osteonecrosis treated by Oriental Medical treatments. Methods : The patient was managed by bee venom and Carthami Flos Herbal-Acupuncture, Sa-am and body acupucture, moxibustion, physical theraphy and herbal medicine. We evaluated the patient through Visual Analogue Scale(VAS). Results : After 25 days of treatment, the patient showed that clinical symptoms was decreased and VAS changed from 10 to 2. Conclusion : In this case, Oriental Medical treatments for a sequela of operation of talus osteonecrosis was effective. But further studies are required to confirm the effect of these methods.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1251-1255
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• 2005

Articular cartilage is an important factor for studying the arthritic diseases. The chondrocyte isolated from cartilage has the characieristic of differentiation and rf-differentiation when cultured in monolayer The bee venom (BV) acupuncture was investigated to examine their abilities on chondrocyte re-differentiation via rabbit chondrocyte primary culture. And the expression profiles of type II collagen (COL2) was analyzed using RT-PCR and western hybridization at third passage chondrocyte. In general, the mRNA expression of type II collagen was reduced step by step with the subculture of the chondrocyte. However, after the BV treatment for 48hr at third passage, the expressions of type II collagen were found to be significantly up-regulated, the same result was confirmed by western blotting. These results suggested that the diluted solution of BV for herb-acupuncture was very effective on the recovery of articular chondrocyte phenotype.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.138-146
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• 2011

Objective : This study was performed to prove the effect of the oriental medical treatments on urticaria and angioedema caused from serum sickness reaction by bee venom. Method : We treated one case of urticaria and angioedema with oriental medical treatments such as 8 constitution acupuncture, herbal medicine, venesection therapy and facial pack therapy. We took pictures through the treatment to evaluate the improvement. Six items, itching, burning sensation, pain, wheal, redness, edema were used to diagnose urticaria and angioedema. Result & Conclusion : After treatments the urticaria and angioedema were improved. The symptom of itching, heating, pain, wheal, redness of whole body and facial edema disappeared.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.101-115
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• 2001

Objective : To characterize the antitumorigenic potential of Apamin, one of the major components of bee venom, its effects on cell proliferation and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway were characterized using the human melanoma cell line SK-MEL-2. Methods & Results : Cell counting analysis for cell death demonstrated that consistent with a previous results, SK-MEL-2 cells treated with $0.5-2.0{\mu}g/ml$ of Apamin showed no recognizable cytotoxic effect whereas detectable induction of cell death was identified at concentrations over $5.0{\mu}g/ml$. [3H]thymidine incorporation assay for cell proliferation demonstrated that DNA replication of SK-MEL-2 cells is inhibited by Apamin in a dose- and time-dependent manner. To explore whether Apamin-induced growth suppression is associated with the MAPK signaling pathway, phosphorylation of Erk, a function mediator of MAPK growth-stimulating signal, was examined Western blot assay using a phospho-specific Erkl/2 antibody. A significant increase of Erkl/2 phosphorylation level was observed in Apamin-treated cells compared with untreated control cells. Qantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that Apamin inhibit expression of MAPK downstream genes such as c-Jun, c-Fos, and cyclin D1 but not expression of MAPK pathway component genes including Ha-Ras, c-Raf-1, MEK1, and Erk. Conclusion : It is strongly suggested that the antitumorigenic activity of Apamin might result in part from its inhibitory effect on the MAPK signaling pathway in human melanoma cells SK-MEL-2.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.7-14
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of bee venom pharmacopuncture (BVP) therapy according to the methods used to treat knee osteoarthritis (OA): intra-acupoint combined with intra-articular injection, intra-acupoint injection, and intra-articular injection. Methods: A total of 69 patients were recruited by the Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion at Dong-Eui Oriental University Hospital from February 1 to July 23, 2012. The patients were assigned to 3 groups: the first group with intra-acupoint combined with intra-articular BVP Injection (the experimental group), the 2nd group with intra-acupoint BVP injection (control group II), and the 3rd group with intra-articular BVP injection (control group II). The participants were assigned in the order in which they were recruited. Treatments were done twice a week, for a total of 9 times. The effectiveness was assessed by using the visual analouge scale (VAS) and the Korea Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (KWOMAC). Results: All three groups exhibited significant VAS and KWOMAC effects. Moreover, the 4 week follow-up after the final treatment showed a persistence of BVP effects. However, when the groups were compared, no statistically significant differences in VAS and KWOMAC were noted, but when improvement was considered, the results showed that intra-articular injection was more effective than intra-acupoint injection. Especially, intra-acupoint combined with intra-articular injection was the most effective among the three treatments. Conclusions: Combining intra-acupoint with intra-articular injection, depending on the patient's symptoms, may produce better results when conservatively treating knee OA.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.129-145
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• 2001

Objectives : To characterize the antitumorigenic potential of three representative bee venom components, Melittin, Apamin, and Phospholipase A2, their effects on cell proliferation and apotosis of the human melanoma cell line SK-MEL-2 were analyzed using molecular biological approaches. Methodes & Results : To determine the doses of the drugs that do not induce cytotoxic damage to this cell line, cell viability was examined by MTT assay. While SK-MEL-2 cells treated with 0.5 - 2.0㎍/㎖ of each drug showed no recognizable cytotoxic effect, marked reductions of cell viability were detected at concentrations over 5.0㎍/㎖. [3H]thymidine incorporation assay for cell proliferation demonstrated that DNA replication of SK-MEL-2 cells is inhibited by Apamin and Phospholipase A2 in a dose-dependent manner. Consistent with this result, the cells were accumulated at the G1 phase of the cell cycle after treatment with Apamin and Phospholipase A2, whereas no detectable change in cell proliferation was identified by Melittin treatment. In addition, tryphan blue exclusion and flow cytometric analyses showed that all of these drugs can trigger apoptotic cell death of SK-MEL-2, suggesting that Melittin, Apamin, and Phospholipase A2 have antitumorigenic potential through the suppression of cell growth and/or induction of apoptosis. Qantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that Apamin and Phospholipase A2 inhibit expression of growth-promoting genes such as c-Jun, c-Fos, and Cyciin D1. Furthermore, Phospholipase A2 induced tumor suppressors p53 and p21/Wafl. In addition, all three drugs were found to activate expression of a representative apoptosis-inducing gene Bax while expression of apoptosis-suppressing Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL genes was not changed. Taken together, this study strongly suggests that Metittin, Apamin, and Phosphalipase A2 may have antitumorigenic activities, which are associated with its growth-inhibiting and/or apoptosis-inducing potentials.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Objectives : We investigated the synergistic effects of bee venom (BV) and natural killer (NK) cells on B16F10 melanoma cell apoptosis mediated by IL-4. Methods : We performed a cell viability assay to determine whether BV can enhance the inhibitory effect of NK-92MI cells on the growth of B16F10 melanoma cells, and western blot analysis to detect changes in the expression of IL-4, $IL-4R{\alpha}$, and other apoptosis-related proteins. EMSA was performed to observe the activity of STAT6. To confirm that the inhibitory effect of BV and NK cells was mediated by IL-4, the above tests were repeated after IL-4 silencing by siRNA (50 nM). Results : B16F10 melanoma cells co-cultured with NK-92MI cells and simultaneously treated by BV ($5{\mu}g/ml$) showed a higher degree of proliferation inhibition than when treated by BV ($5{\mu}g/ml$) alone or co-cultured with NK-92MI cells alone. Expression of IL-4, $IL-4R{\alpha}$, and that of other pro-apoptotic proteins was also enhanced after co-culture with NK-92MI cells and simultaneous treatment with BV ($5{\mu}g/ml$). Furthermore, the expression of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 decreased, and the activity of STAT6, as well as the expression of STAT6 and p-STAT6 were enhanced. IL-4 silencing siRNA (50 nM) in B16F10 cells, the effects of BV treatment and NK-92MI co-culture were reversed. Conclusion : These results suggest that BV could be an effective alternative therapy for malignant melanoma by enhancing the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of NK cells through an IL-4-mediated pathway.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.139-157
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• 2006

In the present study, I have investigated the bee venom (BV) and melittin (a major component of BV) -mediated anti-proliferative effects, and defined its mechanisms of action in cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). BV and melittin $(0.4{\sim}0.8\;{\mu}g/ml)$ effectively inhibited 50 ng/ml platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB)-induced VSMCs proliferations. The regulation of apoptosis has attracted much attention as a possible means of eliminating excessively proliferating VSMCs. In the present study, the treatment of BV and melittin strongly induced apoptosis of VSMCs. I examined the effects on $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation to investigate a possible mechanism for anti-proliferative effects of BV and melittin, the PDGF-BB-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ phosphorylation and its degradation were potently inhibited by melittin, and DNA binding activity and nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p50 subunit in response to the action of PDGF-BB were potently attenuated by melittin. In further investigations, melittin markedly inhibited the PDGF-BB-induced phosphorylation of Akt but not ERK1/2, upstream signals of $NF-{\kappa}B$. Treatment of melittin also potently induced pro-apoptotic protein p53, Bax, and caspase-3 expression, but decreased anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression. These results suggest that the anti-proliferative effects of BV and melittin in VSMCs through induction of apoptosis via suppressions of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and Akt activation, and enhancement of apoptotic signal pathway. Based on these results, BV acupuncture can be a candidate as a therapeutic method for restenosis and atherosclerosis.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2004

Objective : The purposes of this study are to evaluate the efficacy of Bee Venom therapy(BV) on HNP(Herniation of Nucleus Purposus) of Lumbar spine by use of Visual Analog Scale(VAS), Pain Rating Scale(PRS) and Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI), and to investigate their correlation. Methods : We researched 20 patients who were diagnosed by MRI as having a HNP, and treated them by Oriental medical therapy(including BV) for 4 weeks. The evaluation was peformed twice(admission day and after treatment for 4 weeks), and we compared the results. Results : 1. VAS, PRS and ${\Delta}t$(by DITI) were decreased after BV for 4 weeks significantly(p<0.01). 2. There was significant correlation between VAS and PRS(p<0.05). 3. There was significant correlation between PRS and ${\Delta}t$(p<0.05). 4. There was no significant correlation between VAS and ${\Delta}t$. Conclusions : BV improved HNP subjectively and objectively, and correlation was found between VAS and PRS and between PRS and ${\Delta}t$. Further study is needed for investigating their correlation.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.45-47
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the constitution of Sasang and the bee venom hypersensitive reaction, as well as the hypersensitive reaction occurrence ratio between males and females, for patients treated with sweet bee venom (SBV) and who had undergone an examination of the constitution of the Sasang. Methods: All 81 patients enrolled in the study were treated with SBV and underwent an examination of the constitution of Sasang from January 2010 to July 2012. We divided them into two groups for the hypersensitive reaction and no response and compared the distributions of the Sasang-constitution types for the two groups as well as the hypersensitive reaction occurrence ratio between males and females. Results: No significant differences were found between the hypersensitive-reaction group and the no-response group (p = 0.390), but the hypersensitive-reaction occurrence ratio was statistically higher in females than in males (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Hypersensitive reactions do not seem to be related to the Sasang-constitution types, but the possibility of hypersensitive reactions among females seems to be higher than it is among males.