Clinical Effectiveness and Adverse Events of Bee Venom Therapy: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Bee venom has been used to treat many diseases because of its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. However, the secretions of bee venom can also cause life-threatening adverse reactions. The objective of this paper was to review the clinical effectiveness of bee venom and adverse events induced by bee venom, regardless of the disease. Four electronic databases were searched in April 2020. The reference lists of the retrieved articles and previous review articles were also hand-searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using any type of bee venom other than live bee stings for the clinical treatment of any disease other than cancer were included. The studies were selected, the data were extracted, and the quality of the studies was assessed by two authors. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias standards. Twelve RCTs were included in this review—three on Parkinson’s disease, four on arthralgia, four on musculoskeletal disorders, and one on polycystic ovary syndrome. The types of bee venom used were acupuncture injections, ultrasound gel, and an ointment. Six studies reported adverse events, and skin reactions such as pruritus and swelling were the most common. The large-scale clinical trials of bee venom therapy are needed to verify the statistical difference, and the reporting system for adverse events is also required to increase the safety of bee venom therapy.

Toxic Animal-Based Medicinal Materials Can Be Effective in Treating Endometriosis: A Scoping Review

“…In contrast, Eupolyphaga and Scorpio were used only in clinical studies, and bufalin, bee venom, and snake venom were used only in preclinical studies. This is because Bufonis Venenum, bee venom, and snake venom are animal-derived toxins that can cause serious side effects, including death [ 22 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ], and thus have not been traditionally used to treat endometriosis and benign disease. Although these three animal venoms have recently been reported to exert proapoptotic [ 52 , 53 , 54 ] and anti-inflammatory effects [ 55 , 56 ], there has been no clinical evidence of their benefit in endometriosis treatment.…”

Effect of Combined Bee Venom Acupuncture and NSAID Treatment for Non-Specific Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized, Assessor-Blinded, Pilot Clinical Trial

“…Therefore, future research should focus on elucidating the underlying mechanisms to understand their possible interactions. In addition, BVA, if not used properly, can cause systemic adverse reactions, such as anaphylactic reactions [ 36 ]; therefore, it should be performed by a qualified professional who has completed relevant formal training.…”

“…In addition, any significant changes before and after intervention were measured via laboratory liver and renal function tests and vital signs. The adverse events that can occur after BVA include skin reactions at the injection sites, such as pruritus, rash, and swelling, and systemic symptoms, such as headache, generalized myalgia, and nausea [ 36 ]. If such adverse events occurred during the study period and they were judged to have a causal relationship with the BVA by the Korean medical doctor (based on onset and disappearance time of symptoms, pattern, participant’s usual condition, and past history), they were recorded as a BVA-related adverse event.…”

Animal Venom for Medical Usage in Pharmacopuncture in Korean Medicine: Current Status and Clinical Implication

“…Venomous animals are a valuable resource for the development of therapeutics [ 4 ]. Bee venom therapy is used to treat musculoskeletal diseases (e.g., low back pain, knee osteoarthritis), Parkinson’s disease, adhesive capsulitis, and polycystic ovary syndrome [ 5 ]; snake venom-based drugs are used to treat hypertension, heart attack, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, pulmonary embolism, and other diseases [ 6 ]. While animal venoms are toxic, they can have therapeutic effects [ 7 ].…”