Abstract
Investigation of the antiinflammatory properties of bee venom demonstrates that it inhibits production of superoxide anion by human neutrophils in a potent, selective, nontoxic, dose-dependent fashion, both pre- and poststimulation by particulale and soluble activators of the neutrophil oxidative metabolism burst. The effect is not due to receptor competition, superoxide dismutase, and/or catalase activity, scavenging, or indicator media effects. These findings may explain the antiinflammatory effects of whole bee venom in experimental systems, its widespread use in folk medicine, and lead to the development of potent, new antiinflammatory substances for therapeutic use in man.
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Supported by grants from Medical Research Council of Canada (No. 6431), Arthritis Society of Canada (No. 5-261-83), Arthritis Foundation of New Zealand, and Rose Hetlaby Trust.
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Somerfield, S.D., Stach, JL., Mraz, C. et al. Bee venom inhibits superoxide production by human neutrophils. Inflammation 8, 385–391 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00918214
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00918214