Bees are known for the honey benefits. But bee venom that is injected when biting its enemy can actually be made as medicine.
Bee venom contains proteins with the biggest part being melittin that serves as anti-inflammatory as well as expediting cell regeneration,” said dental student of UGM, Swastiana Eka Yunita, on Thursday (19/7) at UGM.
Swasti said alternative drugs from bee venom have often been made, but these were done by bringing the bee to stinging the body directly, which may kill the bee. This method will make the venom that gets into the body cannot be controlled. Hence, Swasti and her fellow students, Urfa Tabtila and Muhammad Abil Pratama, developed the venom into a gel which is friendly for the body while not killing the bee itself.
Under the guidance of Dr. drg. Juni Handajani, M.Kes., Ph.D., the three created the venom formula as medicine to swab onto wounds in oral mucous after gum surgery.
Reportedly, gum surgery ranks high in Indonesia at 96.58%. Gum surgery is done to cure the gum that is infected badly.
“The gel is expected to accelerate wound healing after gum surgery,” said Swasti.
The gel is made from bee venom powder imported from Sweden from Apis mellifera species which is the most tame bee and productive, hence suitable for research. Bee venom is collected by automatic tools that electrocute the bee for a few seconds without killing the bee.
“This method is more environmentally friendly than direct stinging that may kill the bee if the sting tears apart,” he said.
Urfa added the research is still done in vivo on rats. Clinical testing has yet to be done to obtain patent drug for society.