BEE VENOM: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Bee venom is made by bees. This is the poison that makes bee stings painful. Bee venom is sometimes used to make medicine. Don't confuse bee venom with bee pollen, honey, propolis, or royal jelly.

Bee venom is given as a shot for bee sting allergy. It is also used for osteoarthritis, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), nerve pain, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

How does it work ?

Giving repeated and controlled injections of bee venom under the skin causes the immune system to get used to bee venom, and helps reduce the severity of an allergy to bee venom.

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Likely Effective for

Bee sting allergy. A series of bee venom shots under the skin (bee venom immunotherapy) seems to be effective for reducing reactions to bee stings in people with severe allergy to bee stings. Bee venom immunotherapy provides 98% to 99% protection from reactions to bee stings. Once immunotherapy is stopped, the risk of reaction over the next 5 to 10 years is about 5% to 15%. Purified bee venom for under-the-skin injection is an FDA approved product.

Possibly Ineffective for

Multiple sclerosis (MS). Administering live bee stings in gradually increasing doses up to 20 stings given three times weekly does not seem to improve multiples sclerosis. Treatment for 24 weeks does not seem to improve fatigue, disability, or quality of life.

Insufficient Evidence for

Stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint (frozen shoulder). Early research suggests that receiving dilute bee venom injections might improve pain and disability in people with frozen shoulder. But it doesn't seem to improve range of motion. Also, very dilute bee venom injects don't seem to be beneficial.
Osteoarthritis. Early research on the use of bee venom for osteoarthritis is mixed. But one large study shows that injecting bee venom into the skin at certain points in the knees and back might improve pain and function in people with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Parkinson disease. Early research shows that dilute bee venom injections may improve symptoms in people with Parkinson disease. But if the dose of bee venom is too low, it might not help.
Stroke. Bee venom acupuncture seems to improve pain but not movement in people with shoulder pain after stroke.
A condition that causes nerve pain, itching, and dark patches of skin on the upper back (notalgia paresthetica).
Fibromyalgia.
Nerve pain.
Painful conditions caused by overuse of tendons (tendinopathy).
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of bee venom for these uses.

View References

REFERENCES:

Abdulsalam MA, Ebrahim BE, Abdulsalam AJ. Immune thrombocytopenia after bee venom therapy: a case report. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16:107. View abstract.

Birnbaum J, Charpin D, Vervloet D. Rapid hymenoptera venom immunotherapy: comparative safety of three protocols. Clin Exp Allergy 1993;23:226-30. View abstract.

Bomalaski JS, Ford T, Hudson AP, Clark MA. Phospholipase A2-activating protein induces the synthesis of IL-1 and TNF in human monocytes. J Immunol 1995;154:4027-31. View abstract.

Bousquet J, Muller UR, Dreboro S, et al. Immunotherapy with hymenoptera venoms. Allergy 1987;42:401-13. View abstract.

Caldwell JR. Venoms, copper, and zinc in the treatment of arthritis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 1999;25:919-28. View abstract.

Cho SY, Lee YE, Doo KH, et al. Efficacy of combined treatment with acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for Parkinson's disease. J Altern Complement Med 2018;24(1):25-32. View abstract.

Cho SY, Shim SR, Rhee HY, et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2012;18(8):948-52. View abstract.

Conrad VJ, Hazan LL, Latorre AJ, Jakubowska A, Kim CMH. Efficacy and safety of honey bee venom (Apis mellifera) dermal injections to treat osteoarthritis knee pain and physical disability: a randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med 2019;25(8):845-55. View abstract.

Cuende E, Fraguas J, Pena JE, et al. Beekeepers' arthropathy. J Rheumatol 1999;26:2684-90. View abstract.

de Jong NW, Vermeulen AM, de Groot H. Allergy to bumblebee venom. III. Immunotherapy follow-up study (safety and efficacy) in patients with occupational bumblebee-venom anaphylaxis. Allergy 1999;54:980-4. View abstract.

Doo KH, Lee JH, Cho SY, et al. A Prospective Open-Label Study of Combined Treatment for Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease Using Acupuncture and Bee Venom Acupuncture as an Adjunctive Treatment. J Altern Complement Med. 2015;21(10):598-603. View abstract.

Ewan PW. ABC of allergies. Venom allergy. BMJ 1998;316:1365-8. View abstract.

Gennari C, Agnusdei D, Crepaldi G, et al. Effect of ipriflavone-a synthetic derivative of natural isoflavones-on bone mass loss in the early years after menopause. Menopause 1998;5:9-15. View abstract.

Golden DB, Kagey-Sobotka A, Lichtenstein LM. Survey of patients after discontinuing venom immunotherapy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;105(2 Pt 1):385-90. View abstract.

Hartmann A, Müllner J, Meier N, et al. Bee Venom for the Treatment of Parkinson Disease - A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0158235. View abstract.

Hebel SK, ed. Drug Facts and Comparisons. 52nd ed. St. Louis: Facts and Comparisons, 1998.

Hider RC. Honeybee venom: A rich source of pharmacologically active peptides. Endeavour 1988;12:60-5.. View abstract.

Hollister-Stier Laboratories LLC. Instructions and dosing schedule for allergenic extracts hymenoptera venom prodcts. No. 355120-HD1.

Koh PS, Seo BK, Cho NS, Park HS, Park DS, Baek YH. Clinical effectiveness of bee venom acupuncture and physiotherapy in the treatment of adhesive capsulitis: a randomized controlled trial. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2013;22(8):1053-62. View abstract.

Lee HJ, Park IS, Lee JI, Kim JS. Guillain-Barré syndrome following bee venom acupuncture. Intern Med. 2015;54(8):975-8. View abstract.

Li JT, Yunginger JW. Management of insect sting hypersensitivity. Mayo Clin Proc 1992;67:188-94. View abstract.

Lim SM, Lee SH. Effectiveness of bee venom acupuncture in alleviating post-stroke shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Integr Med. 2015;13(4):241-7. View abstract.

Mosbech H, Muller U. Side-effects of insect venom immunotherapy: results from an EAACI multicenter study. Allergy 2000;55:1005-10. View abstract.

Park JH, Yim BK, Lee JH, Lee S, Kim TH. Risk associated with bee venom therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0126971. View abstract.

Petroianu G, Liu J, Helfrich U, et al. Phosholipase A2-induced coagulation abnormalities after bee sting. Am J Emerg Med 2000;18:22-7. View abstract.

Rosman Y, Nashef F, Cohen-Engler A, Meir-Shafrir K, Lachover-Roth I, Confino-Cohen R. Exclusive bee venom allergy: risk factors and outcome of immunotherapy. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2019;180(2):128-34. View abstract.

Senel E, Holt S, Demir E. Treatment of notalgia paresthetica with bee venom and capsaicin: a pilot study with 20 patients. Skinmed 2019;17(6):370-2. View abstract.

Somerfield SD. Bee venom and arthritis: magic, myth, or medicine? N Z Med J 1986;99:281-3.. View abstract.

Subbalakshmi C, Nagaraj R, Sitaram N. Biological activities of C-terminal 15-residue synthetic fragment of melittin: design of an analog with improved antibacterial activity. FEBS Lett 1999;448:62-6. View abstract.

Vick JA, Mehlman B, Brooks R, et al. Effect of bee venom and melittin on plasma cortisol in the unanesthetized monkey. Toxicon 1972;10:581-6.

Vick JA, Shipman WH. Effects of whole bee venom and its fractions (apamin and melittin) of plasma cortisol levels in the dog. Toxicon 1972;10:377-80.

Wesselius T, Heersema DJ, Mostert JP, et al. A randomized crossover study of bee sting therapy for multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2005;65:1764-8. View abstract.

Allergies and Chronic Inflammation

What Are These Pimple-Like Bumps on My Skin?

Why Do You Get Hives?

Do You Get Hives? Things You Need to Know

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.

VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS CENTER

DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS CENTER

FIRST AID RESOURCES

RELATED TO VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS

BEE VENOM

Overview

How does it work ?

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Likely Effective for

Possibly Ineffective for

Insufficient Evidence for

Side Effects

Special Precautions and Warnings

Interactions ?

Moderate Interaction

Medications that decrease the immune system (Immunosuppressants) interacts with BEE VENOM

Dosing

You Might Also Like

WebMD Special Sections

Health Solutions

More from WebMD