Bees seem to do quite a few things for us, but did you know that besides pollinating flowers they can do things like destroy HIV? Yes, a toxin found in bee venom can destroy HIV.
It has been discovered that by poking holes in the protective layer surrounding HIV and other viruses, Melittin (a toxin found in bee venom) could potentially prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS by working to kill off the virus itself. This was found by scientists from Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis.
The pharmaceutical industry seems to be hoping to use nano-particles containing melittin in some of their products to counteract HIV but a homeopathic remedy made from bee venom might be able to help prevent the spread of the disease itself if done properly. Scientists are using the nano-particle version containing melittin to protect healthy cells from damage this is being done because free roam bee venom in the body could potentially be very harmful.
It has been found that melittin loaded nano-particles are rather effective in killing tumorous cells but the particles are able to work because a protective bumper was added to the nano-particles surface. When they come in contact with healthy cells they just bounce off of them because the cells are quite larger in size. The HIV virus is much smaller in size than the nano-particle bumpers and so when these melittin infused particles touch an HIV cell they become infused with it and destroy the disease riddled cell.
This is a new approach to attacking AIDS that is going to show a great improvement considering most medications being sold for this disease only stop the virus from replicating and do nothing to stop the initial infection.
Other viruses such as hepatitis B and C could also benefit to treatments similar to this one with the bee venom since they attack diseased cells that are quite similar. Clinical trials for this treatment are still being conducted with funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Explorations grant number OPP1024642 ‘fusogenic nano-particles for combined anti-HIV/contraception’). Bee venom has actually been used throughout history to heal things like shingles, gout, high blood pressure, and hay fever.
The use of honey bee products for medical purposes is known as Apitherapy. This includes the use of bee venom, raw honey, pollen, beeswax, and royal jelly. This is a form of medicine that has been around for over three thousand years.