More Than Honey
If you thought that we only get sweet delicious honey from bees you may be surprised by the many other positive benefits that these little fellows can have in our lives. Possibly even beating breast cancer.
For thousands of years, Europeans had used not only the honey but the propolis and venom of their native honeybees (Apis mellifera) for medicinal purposes. (1)
The various components of bee venom have been known to be used in the treatment of diseases, like arthritis, rheumatism, pain, skin diseases, and cancerous tumors. One of the main components of honeybee venom is melittin, which now is being tested against some subtypes of breast cancer. (2)
TNBC (Triple Negative Breast Cancer) and HER2-positive subtypes of Breast Cancer
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 of 8 women in The United States will get diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It’s estimated that there will be 276,480 new breast cancer cases this year. From that 10% to 20% will be TNBC (Triple Negative Breast Cancer) which is a more aggressive form of cancer and it has proven more problematic to treat. (3)
TNBC is known to strike more among young people, African Americans, Hispanics, and/or those with a BRCA1 (BReast CAncer 1) gene mutation. (4)
HER2-positive stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2, this is a protein that promotes the growth of cancer cells. It is recommended that every breast cancer patient is tested for HER2, as this turns out to be more intrusive than other types of breast cancers. (5)
The Honeybee Vennon against Breast Cancer
Located in Perth, Australia the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is one of the national leading research establishments that has been active since 1998. (6)
There Dr. Ciara Duffy and her colleagues extracted the venom and the melittin compound from 312 honeybees and bumblebees from Perth Western Australia, Ireland, and England. The honeybees from these regions are considered the healthiest from the 20,000 types of bees out there.
Then, they proceeded to test for anti-cancer properties to fight against different subtypes of breast cancer. This had never been investigated before. The results of this test were surprisingly good. The team was able to destroy 100% of the cancer cells. And with minimal effects on normal cells using a specific concentration of honeybee venom. In Dr. Duffy’s words: “The venom was extremely potent”. (6)
The research team noted that the melittin compound in honeybee venom eliminated breast cancer cell membranes in 60 min or less. Within 20 minutes, it reduced cancer cell growth and division by blocking the chemical messages among cancer cells. This was not the case for the venom extracted from the bumblebee, even in higher doses was not as effective as the venom of the honeybee.
These results are especially promising for breast cancer subtypes like TNBC and HER2-positive variations that are very difficult to treat.
Sweet Future
The promising results of this first trial using honeybee venom can provide direction. Perhaps even to point researchers towards developing and improving newer therapies. Employing natural products that are more available and cost-effective in many places around the world.
Going Forward
The fight is an ongoing one.
Researchers are trying a variety of new approaches like the one conducted by Dr. Duffy at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. Meantime, it is important to be aware of the risk factors. It’s essential to gather practical usable information and follow up regular check-ups for early detection.
For more information about breast cancer, you can go to https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
