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Medical Use of Honey Bee Products Essay

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Apitherapy is the use of honey bee products in treating illnesses and diseases. Apis means “bee” while “therapy” is a treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder. The different products derived from the beehive which can be used in apitherapy are: honey, pollen, propolis, venom, wax and royal jelly.
Being from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, we all have been exposed to honey bees and their products in unique ways. Despite our differences, collectively, we share great interest in the application of honey, bee venom (BV) and propolis in contemporary medicinal practices. In the following paragraphs each member shares their personal exposure with bees and why they have an interest in the medicinal use of BV.
Mai
As a young …show more content…

This heightened my curiosity about bees as I will be practicing medicine in this region where the novel discovery of the antiviral effects of bee products might assist in the treatment of HIV.
Ralu
The first time I learned about the therapeutic use of BV was in university. A classmate presented a speech on bees and the medical use of their venom. This caught my attention because I am always excited to learn new medical treatments. After further research I discovered that BV could be used to treat arthritis. I have a cousin who is very dear to me and has arthritis so I was curious and excited to learn how to help him manage his illness.
Jonathan
About 2 years ago I rekindled my childhood passion for keeping insects; I purchased a beehive. It was like jumping into the ocean. Without knowing much about bees I learnt to manage them through direct interactions after reading books and watching YouTube videos. Of course, when you deal with bees you will get stung. The first sting was horrible, but today I perceive beestings like mosquito bites. Although I have been keeping bees for a while, my interest in the medicinal use of BV wasn’t triggered until my friend sent me an article on the use of BV against HIV.
Helen
Despite being a doctor, my mother always tried not to use drugs as much as possible. Whenever my brother or I got sick, she treated us with natural remedies not only to improve

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