Isolation and Identification of Biologically Active Components from the Honey Bee Venom Apis Mellifera L. Caucasica

The venom of the European honey bee Apis mellifera is an intricate mixture of chemical compositions, including proteins, peptides, enzymes, and other small molecules. Lately, there has been growing interest in the use of melittin, due to its wide range of biological and potential therapeutic applications. Melittin, which is considered to be an antimicrobial, antitumor, and antiinflammatory peptide, is the main component (≥50% (w/w)) of honey bee venom and is widely used in oriental medicine [1] and studied as an alternative for treating drug-resistant infections [2-4]. In parallel to antimicrobial peptides for therapeutic use in humans, melittin can be used to fight economically important plant pathogens that limit crop production globally [5]. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and hyaluronidase (HYA) are the two major enzymatic proteins present in the bee venom [6,7]. Both of these enzymes are classified as major allergens according to the International Union of Immunological Societies, as they are capable of inducing the IgE response in susceptible individuals [6-8].