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.”