Sunday, May 04, 2008

Bee Venom Component Kills ‘Sleeping Sickness’ Bug

The Effects of Bee (Apis Mellifera) Venom Phospholipase A2 on Trypanosoma Brucei Brucei and Enterobacteria
Experimental Parasitology, Volume 119, Issue 2, June 2008, Pages 246-251

Abstract: The potential role of phospholipases in trypanosomiasis was investigated using bee venom phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) as a model. The effects of bvPLA2 on the survival of Trypanosoma brucei brucei, 2 h and 12 h cultures of Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii were studied.

About 1 mg ml−1 bvPLA2 was trypanocidal after 30 min. Some growth occurred at lower concentrations up to 2 h after treatment but viability decreased up to 8 h. Even very low concentrations of bvPLA2 (10−12 mg ml−1) had some trypanocidal activity. Bee venom PLA2 was bactericidal to 2 h bacterial cultures but bacteriostatic to 12 h ones. Minimum bactericidal concentrations were 10−5–10−6 mg ml−1.

The results showed that bvPLA2 had significant trypanocidal and antibacterial effects on Gram-negative bacteria. The relationship to events occurring during infection is discussed. Phospholipases may play a role in increased endotoxin levels in trypanosomiasis.

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