• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.55-83
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pharmacopuncture and bee venom acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis. Methods: We searched for randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of pharmacopuncture and bee venom acupuncture on knee osteoarthritis through the electronic databases including Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CiNii, CNKI, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, and OASIS. Meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager software and the quality of included studies were assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: A total of 20 articles with 1536 participants were identified. 12 trials about phamacopuncture and 8 trials about bee venom acupuncture showed significant improvement than sham treatment, western medicine treatment, and other Korean medicine treatment such as acupuncture in diverse scales. Six trials reported adverse events. Conclusions: These findings showed certain efficacy and safety of pharmacopuncture and bee venom acupuncture. It would be helpful for patients and Korean medicine doctors in the choice of the treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Well-designed studies with long term follow up and more number of participants should be conducted to strengthen the evidence of the use of pharmacopuncture and bee venom acupuncture.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2000

To study anti-cancer effect and molecular biological mechanism of bee venom for aqua-acupuncture, the effects of bee venom on cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed using MTT assay, tryphan blue assay, $[^3H]$thymidine release assay, flow cytometric analysis, and activity of caspase-3 protease activity assay. To explore whether anti-cancer effects of bee venom are associated with the transcriptional control of gene expression, quantitative RT-PCR analysis of apoptosis-related genes was performed. The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that cell viability was decreased by bee venom in a dose-dependant manner. 2. Significant induction of apoptosis was identified using tryphan blue assay, $[^3H]$thymidine release assay, and flow cytomet1 ric analysis of sub $G_1$ fraction. 3. In analysis of caspase-3 protease activity, the activity had increased significantly, in a dose-dependant manner. 4. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the apoptosis-related genes showed that Bcl-2 and Bcl-$X_L$ were down-regulated whereas Bax was up-regulated by bee venom treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.1 s.29
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• pp.227-249
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• 1995

Pursuant to the Medical Product Safety Administration Guidelines for safety assessment of Korean bee vonom for herb-acupuncture, rabbits were used for skin, eye balls, subcutaneous and muscle irritation test. The results were as follows; 1. The skin irritation test of bee venom for herb-acupuncture did not produce any irritation reactions, when the skin was covered with bee venom. 2. The eye irritation test produced moderate to severe stimulating reactions, once the eye mucous membrane was contacted with bee venom. 3. The subcutaneous and muscle irritation test of bee venom showed such local inflammatory reactions as death of cells, infiltration of inflamed cells, dropsical swelling, and congestion, once injected under the skin and in the muscle. As the results of the study on bee venom for herb-acupuncture indicate that severe reactions in such tests as eye balls, subcutancous and muscle irritation exist in the laboratory, more professional caution should be taken in clinical application of the therapy. In addition, further study on subacute, chronic toxicity and allergy reactions should be pursued.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2008

Objective The purpose of this study was to report the efficiency of Bee Venom Pharmacopunture Therapy by managering of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia patients. Method Two patients were treated with Bee Venom Pharmacopunture and another Korean Medicine therapy for six weeks and compared with I-PSS(International Prostate Symptom Score) before and after. Results After treated with Bee Venom Pharmacopunture Therapy, 'I-PSS' values decreased significantly all the patients. Conclusions Bee Venom Pharmacopunture Therapy was shown fairly effective to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.75-87
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to inquire into the effect of different concentrations of bee venom pharmacopuncture to inhibit genesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and to inhibit nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ activation on type II collagen induced arthritis. Methods : The experiment was divided into category of the normal group (NOR)-no treated group, control group (CON)-CIA (collagen induced arthritis) induced group, and 4,000 : 1 bee venom group (BV-L)- 4000:1 bee venom pharmacopuncture treated group after CIA, and 2000:1 bee venom group (BV-H)- 2,000 : 1 Bee venom pharmacopuncture treated group after CIA. RA was induced in the mice via injecting $50{\mu}{\ell}$ C II mixed CFA. The bee venom pharmacopuncture was applied on $ST_{35}$ for 19 days from the 3rd day of RA inducement. To research the effect on the expression of IKK ($I{\kappa}B$ kinase), iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) & COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) mRNA, RT-PCR was performed on synovial membrane cells from the knee joint of CIA mice. Results : The PMA-induced $I{\kappa}B$ kinase (IKK), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase -2 (COX-2) mRNA expression were dose-dependantly decreased in bee venom treated with synoviocytes. In mice treated with bee venom pharmacopuncture, foot thickness and the damage of synovial membranes of the joint was lessened, and the activation of RA-related pro-inflammatory cytokines such as MIF, TNF-${\alpha}$ and MMP-9 was significantly decreased. The activation of iNOS and COX-2 was suppressed by the inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$. In addition, each data was shown that 2,000 : 1 bee venom pharmacopuncture was more effective than 4,000 : 1 bee venom pharmacopuncture. Conclusions : It is speculated that bee venom pharmacopuncture has the therapeutic effect of palliating the damage of the synovial membrane and inflammation on RA by suppressing of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.119-126
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• 2001

Objective : In order to report the process of treatment of Aplastic anemia by herbal acupuncture Methods: This case was diagnosed as deficiency of Yang of spleen and kidneys, deficiency of Ki and blood, and fevescence from the deficiency of Urn. Hominis Placenta herbal acupuncture and Bee-venom acupuncture were choosen as the method to treat the case. Results: 1. The nocturnal fevescence and indigestion was decreased during the times when Hominis Placenta herbal acupuncture was used once a day. 2. The mobility of the joints was improved and the inflamation on the joints was decreased during the times when Bee-venom acupuncture was used every other day. 3. The interval between the transfusion was extended during the times when Hominis Placenta herbal acupuncture and Bee-venom acupuncture were used by turns. Conclution : Hominis Placenta herbal acupuncture and Bee-venom acupuncture sucessfully imporved the symtoms of patient with Aplastic anemia

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture therapy in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods : We investigated 16 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. We divided patients into two groups : Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture was performed with acupuncture therapy for one group, and the other group received acupuncture therapy only. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment applied to the two groups, we used the Visual Analog Scale(VAS) and the Oswestry Low-back Pain Disability Index(ODI). We compared the VAS and ODI scores of the two groups statistically. Results : The Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture group received more effective relief than the acupunctureonly group as measured by decreasedpain and disability reported on the VAS and ODI by patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Conclusions: Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture therapy can be used in addition to acupuncture therapy for highly effective treatment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Further clinical studies are needed to verify these findings.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1 s.37
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• pp.106-112
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Bee Venom Herb-Acupuncture on the jaw opening reflex evoked by tooth pulp stimulation. Rats were anesthetized with thiopental sodium given intraperitoneally in an initial dose of 80mg/kg. Maintenance doses of 5mg/kg thiopental sodium were given through a cannular in the femoral vein as required to maintain light anesthesia. To apply noxious stimuli, a pair of enameled wires were inserted into the tooth pulp of the lower incisor. The effects of conditioning stimuli were estimated as an indicator of the degree of suppression of the digastric muscle electromyogram(dEMG) in the jaw opening reflex. Bee Venom Herb- Acupuncture(0.2% solution 0.1ml/rat) was injected to Hapgok(LI4) loci. In addition, Normal Saline (0.1ml/rat) was injected to Hapgok loci so as to compare the degree of suppression elicited from Bee-Venom. By administration of Bee Venom Herb-Acupuncture, the amplitude of dEMG was maximally suppressed to $67.5{\pm}3.38%$ ipsilaterally, 73.33{\pm}8.00%$ contralaterally. Generally, the dEMG activities caused by electrical stimulation were gradually suppressed during the stimulation and maximal suppressive effect showed at 15min after its onset. However the dEMG activities by Be Venom Herb-Acupuncture were immediately suppressed after its onset and the suppressive effect continued for a long time compared to electrical stimulation. In conclusion, Bee Venom Herb-Acupuncture may have a different mechanism of analgesia from that of electro-acupuncture and contribute to the modulation of pain analgesia.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2004

After administration of Oriental medicine with Bee venom acupuncture to two cases of Herpes zoster and Post-herpetic neuralgia. We can observe remarkable efficacy on relief from pain. This results suggest that Oriental medicine with Bee venom acupuncture can be one of a good remedy for Herpes zoster and Post-herpetic neuralgia.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of Bee venom Pharmarcopuncture on facial palsy in Herpes Zoster otiucus. Methods : We used the acupuncture and Bee venom Pharmarcopuncture complex therapies on facial palsy in Herpes Zoster otiucus occurred in pregnancy. The improvement of the symptom and facial movement was evaluated by VAS and Yanagihara scale. Results & Conclusions : After treatment, both VAS and Yanagihara's scale were significantly improved. In this case, we found that the acupuncture and Bee venom Pharmarcopuncture complex therapy is effective for facial palsy in Herpes Zoster otiucus.