If reports from the
researches of a
team of medical
practitioners at the
Washington University
School of Medicine, USA,
and the testimony of an
Ibadan-based apitherapist
are anything to go by,
perhaps the world should
get ready to heave a sigh
of relief from AIDS and
cancer.
Unlike most other ailments
where the body's defence
apparatus fights foreign
objects thereby protecting the
body, in the case of HIV, it
attacks the soldiers, the T-
helper lymphocytes, also called
CD4 or T4 cells. Noted
Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia;
these are white blood cells that
are essential part of the human
immune system. They are
called helper cells because one
of their main roles is to send
signals to other types of
immune cells, including CD8
killer cells.
T4 cells send the signal and
CD8 cells destroy and kill the
infection or virus. But as a
popular Igbo adage says, when
the lion is incapacitated, the
antelope visits to settle old
scores, so if CD4 cells become
depleted, as is the case in
untreated HIV infection, or
immune suppression, the body
is left vulnerable to a wide
range of infections that it would
otherwise have been able to
fight.
Following the report of the US-
based medical scientists (Hood
J.L, Jallouk A.P, Campbell N,
Ratner L and Wickline S.A) that
a toxin (melittin) found in bee
venom could destroy HIV and
tumor cells without harming
nearby cells, there have been
varied reactions from the
public. Some described it as a
miracle, others were skeptical
while a few said it was
impossible.
Bee venom as a weapon:
Engr. Ayodele Salako, an
Ibadan-based apiculturist/
apitherapist, said although
most orthodox medicine
practitioners do not believe in
alternative medicine, the
answer to most diseases of
man lies with nature and,
unless we go closer to nature,
we will not discover its many
wonders.
He added, honey bee venom,
also called apitoxin, is one of
the major products of the bees
and they use it to defend
themselves, the queen bee and
their territory, it is their
weapon. Also God has put
something in the bee venom
for healing so once a bee
stings you, 45 minutes or one
hour later, it dies and that
venom, within your body
system, begins to do a lot of
wonders. The introduction of
that venom through the stinger
into your system may cause
some pains and that pain is the
pain that kills pains, he said.
Bee venom therapy (BVT):
Salako reeled out a number of
ailments that could be
combated with bee venom
which include headache,
insomnia, osteoarthritis,
fractures, inflammation, high
blood pressure, skin problems,
back pain, infertility in women,
eye problems, wounds that
have refused to go for about
two-three years. The best
remedy for arthritis is Bee
Venom Therapy, BVT, he
stated.
Mr. Ndubuisi Okwum , a staff of
Scripture Union, Nigeria,
echoed Salako's view. He said:
I learnt a bit of apiculture at
Umudike, Abia State and since
the 90s, I have known that bee
sting can cure malaria
(acupuncture), so I am not
surprised at this recent
research development.
Mr. Harry Porter, reacting to
the story, HIV, cancer: Bee
venom to the rescue on
Vanguard website, said; this is
what we call nature signature.
This is the suggestion of what a
fruit or leaf or animal or insect
can cure by looking at its
structure and what it
resembles. Taking a good look
at bees, you can see that the
comb resembles a DNA
structure and a virus. So it's a
great possibility that the cure
for HIV can come from it. More
research is needed to get a
pure sample that will do this
without rendering the
surrounding cells useless or
dead.
If you have a severe headache
and I administer BVT via a bee
sting, there will be quick relief.
As an apitherapist, I studied
body anatomy so I know at
what points to apply the bee
sting so that the venom can be
carried through the required
route to the targeted site. If
you complain of insomnia and I
give you BVT, within 20
minutes, you will sleep off,"
said Salako, noting that "a
farmer who goes to the farm
and is being stung by bees will
not fall ill easily. He is free from
having fever regularly, free
from insomnia, high blood
pressure, skin problems, eye
problem, back pain, HIV etc.
Bee venom is very powerful
against many ailments."
Bee venom against HIV
Salako, who claims to have
been treating HIV-positive
people with bee venom, said; I
have used bee venom to treat
some HIV positive patients. I
say it on live broadcast but
many people don't believe it. If
one can just look for one
confirmed HIV-positive patient,
they should send him/her to
me. After 8-12 weeks of
treatment, the person will go
for another test. Usually, after
the first 8-12 weeks of
treatment, he will notice a
decrease in the viral load. Then
we continue the treatment for
another 4-5 weeks and the
patient goes for another test
until there is no more AIDS
virus in the system. Apart from
the BVT, I also apply other bee
products like propolis with
honey.
The researchers had said that
bee venom contains a potent
toxin called melittin that can
poke holes in the protective
envelope that surrounds HIV
and other viruses. It has even
shown melittin-loaded
nanoparticles to be effective in
killing tumor cells.
Asked if any kind of bee could
be used for BVT, Salako replied
in the negative saying; the
female bees are the only ones
that can sting so only female
bees are used in BVT.
The male bees are called
drones; the mature female
bees are called queens which
lay the eggs. The drones
cannot sting; their main
function is to fertilize the virgin
queen during her mating flight
after which they die.
Extinction of bees:
Some people argue that if the
anti-HIV/cancer activities of bee
venom proves to be true, then
bees may become extinct
sooner than later but Salako
allayed this fear saying that a
queen can lay about 2,500 -
3,000 eggs per day, adding
that it will rather create the
much needed job for the
youths.