Acute toxicity of bee venom from Apis mellifera L. in mice: A histopathological study

Abstract

Although the toxic effects of bee venom (BV) in humans are known, there are only a few systematic studies are available in literature. Here, we have evaluated the potential toxicity of BV from Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by studying acute toxicity in mice receiving subcutaneous injections of high (120 mg/kg), medium (60 mg/kg) and low (8 mg/kg) doses of BV. General toxicity symptoms and histopathological changes were recorded for 14 days. The results indicated that highdose BV could be fatal. The mental state, appetite, and respiration of mice in the medium- and high-dose groups changed in varying degrees; higher doses led to more prominent symptoms (LD50, 119.7 mg/kg). BV in medium- and high-dose groups significantly inhibited weight gain in mice within 2 days, which did not significantly differ between the dose groups and control at the later stage. The hemolysis rate was significantly higher in the low-dose, while in the medium- and high-dose groups, the coagulation time significantly prolonged in male mice. Histopathological changes showed that medium- and high-dose groups exhibited toxicity to tested organs. Our study showed that BV exhibited strong toxicity at higher concentration and is relatively safe when the BV concentration is lower than 8 mg/kg.