Authored by the CommunityHiveBeeCause hive
It is interesting that for many years the bee has been a curiosity for medical research.
It turns out that bees serve a purpose in cancer communities beyond stinging and pollinating.
Some notable universities and research organizations have been testing bee venom (BV) and its effects on cancer cells.
BEEcause this is so cool, we buzzed around and found some tidbits of information to share.
The Honey Bee and Cancer
- The bee has a unique ability to smell and detect some types of cancers
- The substance called Propolis is the chalky residue that the bee uses to patch holes in their beehives. The Propolis has been engaged by older cultures to remedy illnesses and new research shows promise for its use in fighting cancer!
- In Korean medicine bee venom is used to treat pain, tumor and skin diseases
- Recent studies are showing that bee venom may inhibit the spread of cancer cells
- The toxin from bee called Melittin is being researched by The University School of Medicine in St. Louis that employs Nanobees to deliver drugs directly to cancer cells.
Our fascination with bees and their ability to provide hope in the quest for a cancer cure is worth further consideration. We will continue to unveil interesting findings, but meanwhile remember that in our hive…no one fights alone.
References
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Anti-cancer effect of bee venom on human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using Raman spectroscopy, 2018
www.medicine.wustl.edu Nanobees for Cancer, 2009