By Ebele Orakpo, with Agency
Reports
Scientists have discovered that
apart from pollinating crops,
producing honey, beeswax ,
propolis, pollen and royal jelly, bees
could also be the solution to the
deadly Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) and cancer.
Recently, a team of scientists at
the Washington University School
of Medicine, USA, used
nanoparticles carrying a toxin
found in bee venom to destroy
HIV without harming nearby cells.
The report was contained in the
current issue of Antiviral Therapy.
Explaining the modus operandi, Dr.
Samuel A. Wickline, one of the
researchers said; “Bee venom
contains a potent toxin called
melittin that can poke holes in the
protective envelope that
surrounds HIV and other viruses.
It has even shown melittin-loaded
nanoparticles to be effective in
killing tumor cells.”
In an interview with Vanguard in
Ibadan recently, Mr. Ayodele
Salako, an apiculturist
(beekeeper), corroborated the
assertion of the researchers.
“The bee sting is very medicinal. A
bee keeper who is stung by a bee
every now and then, will not
complain of any ailment because
the bees have taken those things
away from you by enhancing your
immunity. That is one of the best
works of bee venom.”
He demonstrated this by
administering bee venom therapy
on some people with pains in
various parts of the body like the
waist, hands and knees. All
recipients said the pains stopped
after a few minutes.
Comparing the bee venom and
other anti-HIV drugs, Joshua L.
Hood, another researcher said
“most anti-HIV drugs inhibit the
virus’s ability to replicate. But this
anti-replication strategy does
nothing to stop initial infection,
and some strains of the virus have
found ways around these drugs
and reproduce anyway. The bee
venom toxin is different because
it attacks an essential part of the
virus’ structure. The
melittin forms little pore-like
attack complexes and ruptures
the envelope, stripping it off the
virus.
“We are attacking an inherent
physical property of HIV,” said
Hood, “and there isn’t any way for
the virus to adapt to that. The
virus has to have a protective
coat, a double-layered membrane
that covers it,” so if the covering
is destroyed, the virus is
destroyed.
“Because the bee venom toxin has
been engineered not to attack
healthy cells, a vaginal gel loaded
with bee venom particles, could be
ideal for couples where one
partner has HIV and they want to
have a baby,” the report said,
adding; “It’s also theoretically
possible that intravenous
injections of the nanoparticles
would be able to clear HIV from
the blood stream, a virtual miracle
for those who have tested
positive.”

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/hiv-cancer-bee-venom-to-the-rescue/

The immense greed that abound in humanity in the health establishment has never given chance to efficient management of cancer and HIV virus.

AIDs especially shouldn't have been a big deal right from the discovery of the virus.

Methinks our generation failed woefully on researchs in the health sector.