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Updated: Dec 14, 2025

Preparation of Virus-Enriched Inoculum for Oral Infection of Honey Bees Apis mellifera
Published on: August 26, 2020
Antimicrobial Properties of Apis mellifera's Bee Venom
Hesham El-Seedi1,2,3,4, Aida Abd El-Wahed4,5, Nermeen Yosri4,6
1International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Abstract:
Bee venom (BV) is a rich source of secondary metabolites from honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). It contains a variety of bioactive ingredients including peptides, proteins, enzymes, and volatile metabolites. The compounds contribute to the venom's observed biological functions as per its anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. The antimicrobial action of BV has been shown in vitro and in vivo experiments against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The synergistic therapeutic interactions of BV with antibiotics has been reported. The synergistic effect contributes to a decrease in the loading and maintenance dosage, a decrease in the side effects of chemotherapy, and a decrease in drug resistance. To our knowledge, there have been no reviews on the impact of BV and its antimicrobial constituents thus far. The purpose of this review is to address the antimicrobial properties of BV and its compounds.
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