Bee Venom Helps Treat Skin Pain

Activation of Spinal α2-Adrenoceptors Using Diluted BeeVenom Stimulation Reduces Cold Allodynia in Neuropathic Pain RatsEvid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2012 Aug 27Cold allodynia is an important distinctive feature ofneuropathic pain. The present study examined whether single or repetitivetreatment of diluted bee venom (DBV) reduced cold allodynia in sciatic nervechronic constriction injury (CCI) rats and whether these effects were mediatedby spinal adrenergic receptors.Single injection of DBV (0.25 or 2.5 mg/kg) was performedinto Zusanli acupoint 2 weeks post CCI, and repetitive DBV (0.25 mg/kg) wasinjected for 2 weeks beginning on day 15 after CCI surgery. Single treatment ofDBV at a low dose (0.25 mg/kg) did not produce any anticold allodynic effect,while a high dose of DBV (2.5 mg/kg) significantly reduced cold allodynia.Moreover, this effect of high-dose DBV was completely blocked by intrathecalpretreatment of idazoxan (α2-adrenoceptor antagonist), but not prazosin(α1-adrenoceptor antagonist) or propranolol (nonselective β-adrenoceptorantagonist). In addition, coadministration of low-dose DBV (0.25 mg/kg) andintrathecal clonidine (α2-adrenoceptor agonist) synergically reduced coldallodynia. On the other hand, repetitive treatments of low-dose DBV showing nomotor deficit remarkably suppressed cold allodynia from 7 days after DBVtreatment. This effect was also reversed by intrathecal idazoxan injection. These findings demonstrated that single or repetitivestimulation of DBV could alleviate CCI-induced cold allodynia via activation ofspinal α2-adrenoceptor.