Bee Venom Therapy for the Treatment of Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease is a tick borne illness, caused from a bacterial infection as a result of being bitten by a tick. Traditionally, lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, such as doxycycline and amoxicillin. However, there are so many patients who have long lasting symptoms from lyme disease whether they were treated with antibiotics or not. There is new research that suggests the use of bee venom for therapeutic use can be an effective form of antimicrobial treatment for B. burgdorferi, which is the pathogen responsible for lyme disease. By examining existing research from 2019 to 2024, this review synthesizes findings from various quantitative and qualitative studies, through systematic reviews and meta-analysis. The findings show that bee venom therapy, as opposed to traditional antibiotic therapy, contains Melittin, a strong anti-inflammatory that induces cortisol, Apamin, a mild neurotoxin that increases the production of cortisol within the adrenal gland, and Adolapin, which acts as an additional form of anti-inflammatory and an analgesic. As a result, bee venom therapy uses these pharmacological components to intensify the management of symptoms that come from long-lasting lyme disease pain. Through research the goal is to recommend that the use of bee venom can be an effective form of treatment for lymes disease symptom management, instead of the antibiotics that are typically ordered.