According to a recent story on Discovery News, scientists have proven that bee venom can improve our
brain function. According to the study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a peptide toxin extracted from the venom called apamin is a neurotoxin that blocks certain central nervous system channels. Apamin can cause hyperexcitable nerves in the brain, which can cause convulsions and respiratory paralysis, but it can also lead to improved learning and memory.
Scientists have been aware for a while that certain bug
venoms were effective in treating brain disorders like MS but now scientists have learned how to identify when the apamin binds to particular channels in the brain. This is important in order to develop medications that can mimic what apamin does in the body.
"Drug design depends on knowing the target," Neil Marrion, a professor in the University of Bristol's Physiology and Pharmacology department, told ScienceDaily. "Our findings have provided a new approach to designing a therapeutic agent that could help with the treatment of a number of conditions."
The venom is found in the Western
honey bee. This is one more reason to value bees. We already know that without them the world food supply, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, other plants, and trees, could pretty much dry up by a third. They do much more than just produce honey, they pollinate everything.
Though experts are unsure why honeybee colonies are collapsing, pesticides, climate change, and other man-made impact are among the suspected causes. For now, skip the pesticides and chemicals in your
garden and on your lawn and choose all organic and local eats for yourself.
