Evaluation of hemolytic activity and biochemical properties of Apis mellifera bee venom on NIH laboratory mice

Bee venoms (BV) are composed of a complex mixture of components which present several biological and biochemical activities. Therefore, purification of BV and investigation of its biochemical properties can be useful in understanding its therapeutic aspects. In the present study, venom was extracted from Apis mellifera honey bees and it was biochemically characterized.

The venom of Apis mellifera bee was selected and its protein concentration was determined. Purification of venom was performed with Sephadex G-50 chromatography. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis was used to determine the protein profile of BV and its fractions. Hemolytic activity of venom was investigated. Biochemical tests were performed on control (with a normal diet) and three experimental groups (with different doses of venom).

Crude venom protein concentration was about 4.1 mg/ml. The chromatogram showed three large peaks and melittin account for about 50% of the BV. By electrophoresis, it was found that the venom has compounds with molecular weight of 3 to 90 kD, including melittin, phospholipase, hyaluronidase, acid phosphomonoesterase. The hemolytic test showed HD50 of melittin at a concentration of 0.5 μg/ml. Biochemical tests on the control and the three experimental groups showed that when venom dose increased in the three experimental groups; the group with the highest venom dose (0.1 mg/ml) showed the highest decrease in serum parameters compared to the control group.

BV, especially melittin, has a significant hemolytic activity and biologically very active, so it can be used to treat some diseases.