Direct antitumor activity of honey bee venom in vivo and in vitro

الملخص EN

The aim of the present study was to examine the antitumor activity of bee venom given intratumorally (it) at different times after tumor cell inoculation and clarification of the mechanism(s) by which bee venom produces antitumor effects. Tumor was a spontaneous transplantable mammary carcinoma (MCa) of CBA mice.

Tumor in the footpad was generated by subcutaneous injection of 1x105 tumor cells.

A primary culture of MCa cells was used in in vitro studies.

Groups of 7 mice bearing mammary carcinoma were it injected with a single dose of bee venom at dose levels of 6, 12 and 24 mg/kg of body weight at day 7 or 14 after tumor cell inoculation.

Effectiveness of bee venom on tumor growth was determined as tumor-growth inhibition rate (TIR%).

Bee venom injection decreased tumor size and induced some sort of tumor shrinkage and delay of tumor growth.

Survival of mice treated with bee venom was prolonged compared to control mice.

Bee venom significantly inhibited tumor growth; TIR of bee venom was dose- and time dependent in vivo and in vitro as well.

In summary, the present study demonstrates direct cytotoxic effect of bee venom on tumor cells which could be the possible mechanism of tumor growth inhibition.

Furthermore, more attention should be paid to natural inhibitors of tumor growth such as bee venom and other venoms in testing their antitumor activity for future possible use in clinical practice.