Honeybee venom as breast cancer cure.

A new study claims that bee venom can kill cancer cells, which has the cancer world buzzing as breast cancer cure.

Scientists at Western Australia’s Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research tested venom from more than 300 honeybees and bumblebees against two forms of aggressive, difficult-to-treat breast cancer: triple negative and HER2-enriched breast cancer. They discovered that a venom ingredient called melittin might kill breast cancer cells in an hour without harming other cells. They also discovered that when melittin was used in conjunction with chemotherapy medications, it helped generate pores in the cancer cell membrane, which could allow therapies to infiltrate the cells more effectively.

Despite the fact that the tests for this study were only conducted in a lab, the researchers believe the molecule can be synthesized and used as a breast cancer treatment.

Scientists at Western Australia’s Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research tested venom from more than 300 honeybees and bumblebees against two forms of aggressive, difficult-to-treat breast cancer: triple negative and HER2-enriched breast cancer. They discovered that a venom ingredient called melittin might kill breast cancer cells in an hour without harming other cells. They also discovered that when melittin was used in conjunction with chemotherapy medications, it helped generate pores in the cancer cell membrane, which could allow therapies to infiltrate the cells more effectively.

While the discovery is impressive, Dr. Marilena Tauro, a breast cancer cure researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center, believes that more research is needed before it can become a feasible therapeutic. “The good news is that this study found that melittin can disrupt signaling pathways in breast cancer cells that are involved in disease progression and dissemination,” she said. “However, several studies have shown that chemicals are effective in killing cancer cells in the lab or in animal models, but it takes years for those discoveries to reach humans, if at all.”

Source thebrightersidenews.com