Bee venom 12microgram powder and solvent for solution for injection vials

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, affecting over 8.5 million people as of 2019. While standard pharmacological treatments help alleviate symptoms, their long-term use can lead to side effects such as dyskinesia. Bee venom acupuncture (BVA) involves the use of a natural toxin derived from bees that can be used for pain relief and treating neurological disorders. This study aimed to review the efficacy and safety of BVA for the treatment of PD. This review protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD420251000577). We searched eight databases in February 2025 and selected 12 studies involving 215 PD patients treated with BVA. Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) is the most common diagnosis. The concentration and dosage per session ranged from 0.03 to 0.1 mg/mL and from 0.1 to 1.0 mL, respectively. Twenty-four different outcome measures were used, with the Unified PD Rating Scale employed in 91.7% of the studies. All studies reported improvements in outcomes. Mild adverse effects such as swelling and itching were noted in four studies (33.3%); however, no severe reactions such as anaphylactic shock occurred. These findings suggest that BVA has the potential for broader clinical applications in the treatment of PD.

Abstract licence: CC BY

An updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the clinical evidence for the use of BVA for musculoskeletal pain. We searched 13 electronic databases up to December 2024 with no language restrictions. Since 2008, nine RCTs have been additionally identified, so a total of 20 trials were included in our updated review. In a meta-analysis of 2 RCTs, pain was significantly reduced with BVA compared to sham injection of normal saline (10-cm visual analog scale [VAS]; mean difference [MD]: -16.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -26.35 to -7.51, P = 0.0004, n = 85; heterogeneity: I2 = 0%). The meta-analysis of 5 RCTs comparing BVA plus acupuncture to saline injection plus acupuncture showed significant improvements in the 10-cm VAS (MD: -1.24; 95% CI = -1.63 to -0.85, P 2 = 16%). No severe side effects such as anaphylaxis were observed in any of the eight trials. BVA appeared to improve musculoskeletal pain conditions compared to sham injections. However, the meta-analysis included only a limited number of RCTs with small sample sizes, and there was considerable clinical heterogeneity in terms of pain types, dosage, and concentration of BVA, which restricts the ability to draw definitive conclusions.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of bee venom pharmacopuncture in patients with Bell’s palsy by synthesizing evidence from several comparative clinical studies. A narrative review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Studies published between January 2000 and March 2025 were searched in domestic (Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Research Information Sharing Service, Korean Studies Information Service System, and DBpia) and international databases (PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure). Clinical studies investigating bee venom pharmacopuncture were included. The major outcome measures included the Yanagihara score (Y-score), House–Brackmann (H–B) grade, recovery period, and other clinical indicators. A total of five studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. All included studies investigated patients with acute-stage Bell’s palsy. Bee venom pharmacopuncture was associated with improvements in major clinical outcomes, including the Y-score and H–B grade, as well as accelerated recovery. In particular, studies comparing bee venom pharmacopuncture combined with acupuncture to acupuncture alone reported greater therapeutic effects. In contrast, comparative studies assessing other interventions such as Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture, hominis placenta pharmacopuncture, and needle-embedding acupuncture did not show statistically significant differences in the treatment outcomes.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND