A brief history of apitherapy: ‘the healing use of the products of the honeybee hive’

Early days
Bee products have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. In the western world, they were written about by the Greek physician Hippocrates (he of the ‘Hippocratic oath’ – often called the founder of modern medicine). They are mentioned in Chinese texts over 2,000 years old.

Modern times
In an age where ‘alternative’, natural medicines are becoming increasingly popular, more and more people are becoming aware of the possible benefits of bee products.

What are these ‘benefits’?
There is still insufficient clinical data to verify these claims and there are those who believe that some bee products, far from being of benefit, could actively harm people. However, the following are claimed to be natural life-enhancers:

Honey
As a natural antibiotic, pure, sterilized honey’s high sugar content can stop the growth of bacteria in infections. This is of particular interest to those seeking solutions to the increasing proliferation of bacterial strains resistant to the effects of man-made antibiotics (See Q for Queezy).

• Royal Jelly: Royal Jelly is a thick, milky liquid secreted by the hypopharryngeal glands of nurse bees. It gets its ‘royal’ prefix by dint of the fact that Queen bees live exclusively on it. Rich in nutrients, it has been claimed to be of benefit to humans for everything from reducing high cholesterol levels to helping impotent men become potent again.
• Bee Propolis: Propolis is a natural sticky resin that seeps from the buds of certain trees. Bees gather it, mix it with saliva and beeswax and use it to protect the hive from bacterial and viral infection.The Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used its antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, antifungal and antibiotic properties. It has been championed as an effective natural medicine in the treatment of tuberculosis, ulcers, mitosis, colitis, and in boosting the immune system.
• Bee Venom: Whilst nobody is claiming that bee venom is a panacea for all ills, there are many advocates for its use in the treatment of arthritis and multiple sclerosis in particular. In the absence of comprehensive research and trials into its efficacy, Bee Venom Therapy has divided the medical world into those who recognise its possible benefits, and those who believe it’s just hocus-pocus nonsense.

Legal Eagles
It is imperative to note that Bee Venom Therapy is only approved in Britain for desensitising people allergic to bee venom. The effectiveness of Bee Venom to treat people with MS, arthritis, or any other inflammatory or degenerative diseases has not been medically proven, and whilst many medical trials are currently being run across the globe, Britain, along with many other countries, has not approved its use as medical practice. John Drakes himself administers bee venom to consenting adults as a private individual, and takes no payment whatsoever for this particular service.

Think Before You’re Stung!
Anybody even thinking of trying Bee Venom Therapy should inform their GP beforehand. They should also ask for an Epipen (which is prescription only), in case of an allergic reaction.