Further investigation on the antiinflammatory properties of adolapin--bee venom polypeptide

Adolapin is a basic polypeptide (M. W. 11500) isolated from bee venom. It showed marked antiinflammatory and analgetic properties and inhibited cyclooxygenase. It was found that adolapin inhibited also the activity of bee venom phospholipase A2 (7 nmole/ml producing about 80% inhibition of 2.5 nmole/ml phospholipase). In addition it inhibited the lipoxygenase from human platelets (4.5 nmole/ml inhibited about 80% of the activity of 0.8 mg protein/ml). Adolapin (20 micrograms/kg) caused an elevation of c-GMP level in rat spleen and brain as well as a decrease of c-AMP in rat spleen. Adolapin was tested by the "tail flick" method which allowed the demonstration of its analgetic action. The partial inhibition of the analgetic effect of adolapin induced by naloxon, proved the participation of a central mechanism of action. Similar to other nonsteroid analgetics, adolapin displayed antipyretic effect (40 micrograms/kg caused an inhibition of the mean temperature rise about 62%.