↵ The sting apparatus in honeybee is a modified ovipositor. Stings from some of the bees may be very painful and poisonous. Toxicity of bee sting varies from species to species.
Bee venom: Bee venom is secreted by the poison-glands located in stings. Bee venom is a curative toxin in humans. It has a bitter burning taste and is transparent. It is acidic in nature. It contains formic acid, histamine, tryptophan, sulphur, many proteins, volatile oils, enzymes like hyaluronidase and phospholipase, and magnesium phosphate. Clinically it has the following uses:
(1) It is an active remedy for rheumatism.
(2) It is used to treat certain eye diseases like keratoconjunctivitis (inflammation of the cornea), iris (inflammation of the iris), iridocyclitis (inflammation of the iris, and ciliary body).
(3) It is used to cure diseases related to the skin.
(4) The cholesterol level in the blood falls by the treatment of bee venom.
(5) Bee venom controls blood pressure.
