Apitherapy

Honey Bee , Apis mellifera

Bees on honeycombs with honey

Apitherapy (from lat. Apis “ bee ” and therapia “ therapy ”) - the use of beekeeping products for medicinal purposes. The key method of apitherapy is the use of bee venom - apitoxin therapy ^[1] , its other areas are honey therapy , propolisotherapy , apilactherapy (use of royal jelly ), as well as the use of pollen , wax and ^[2] . Also used , , zabrus .

History

The roots of apitherapy go back to antiquity; it has become widespread throughout the world ^[3] . Reliably known about apitherapy in Ancient Egypt , the Chinese texts mentioning it two thousand years ago are known, Hippocrates and Galen wrote about it, and in 1888 a publication appeared about one of the first clinical studies of apitherapy, the Austrian physician F. Terch , who is now recognized as “father” modern apitherapy ”, - about treatment with bee stings ^[4] . B. F. Beck is called the “father of apitherapy” in the USA; his book “ Bee Venom Therapy ” ( Bee venom therapy , 1935) ^[5], which was published there, received great attention.

Development

A prominent contribution to the development of apitherapy was made by Soviet and Russian scientists, professors N. M. Artyomov , called the founder of scientific apitherapy, his students B. N. Orlov and V. N. Krylov . The latter now heads the Russian Interdepartmental Coordination Council for Apitherapy (which in different years included and includes Academicians P.V. Sergeev , N.V. Voitovich , N.I. Krivtsov , as well as Professors V.G. Makarov , Yu.A Cherevko , S. M. Belova, R. T. Mannapova and others), whose scientific secretary is Professor V. I. Lebedev .

According to the current legislation of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, apitherapy is defined as “the use of beekeeping products for medicinal purposes” ^[6] , state support is provided for its development ^[7] . According to Appendix No. 19 to the Procedure for the Organization of Medical Rehabilitation , approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 2012 No. 1705n, on the rules for organizing the activities of the medical rehabilitation department, it is recommended to include an apitherapy room in its structure (Section 6) ^[8] .

As noted by independent researchers, among the leaders in the development of apitherapy in Russia are the Scientific Research Institute of Beekeeping and the Tentorium company ^[9] . The main center for training apitherapists in the country is Ryazan Medical University. I.P. Pavlova . In Rybnoye, scientific and practical conferences on apitherapy are held annually. There are the Ryazan Apitherapy Society (academician E. A. Stroyev became its first head) and the Bashkir Research Center for Beekeeping and Apitherapy , as well as the National Union of Apitherapists, headed by Professor I.V. Krivolapov-Moskvin, Director of the Clinical Apitherapy Research Institute, also Member of the Apimondia Apitherapy Commission.

Application

Many diseases are considered sensitive to treatment by beekeeping products of great therapeutic value ^[3] . Bee venom treatment is common in the world, primarily in Asia, Eastern Europe and South America, and is used to treat:

• musculoskeletal system;
• nervous system;
• autoimmune diseases, etc. ^{[10] [11] [1]}

Honey is appreciated not only as a dietary product, but also as an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent of a wide spectrum - with antibacterial, antimycotic, antiviral and antimycobacterial properties ^[12] , suitable for combating diseases:

• heart
• skin ^[13] .

Propolis is widely appreciated for its potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, immunomodulating and anti-angiogenic properties ^[13] . Beekeeping products are generally distinguished by their antibacterial activity, but their properties depend on their botanical origin ^[14] .

Contraindications

Apitherapy is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to beekeeping products. To prevent allergic reactions during apitherapy, it should be carried out by a specially trained doctor ^{[3] [10]} , however, it can be noted that anaphylaxis on beekeeping products is rare ^[15] .