Apitoxin (honey bee venom) derived compounds - a new frontier in breast cancer research: systematic review
Keywords:
Bee venom, Apitoxin, Melittin, Breast cancer, Apoptosis, Cytotoxicity, Natural anticancer agents.Abstract
Background: Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent and fatal cancers affecting women globally, despite advances in conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. However, these approaches often lack specificity and cause significant side effects. Natural compounds, including those derived from bee venom (apitoxin), have recently gained attention for their selective anticancer potential with minimal toxicity.
Objective: This systematic review aims to evaluate existing evidence on the anticancer activity of honey bee venom and its major component, melittin, against breast cancer cell lines.
Methods: Relevant in vitro studies published between 2007 and 2024 were identified from PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate using keywords such as “Bee venom AND Breast cancer,” “Apitoxin AND Breast cancer,” and “Melittin AND Antitumor.” After screening 300 records, five studies meeting inclusion criteria were analysed for intervention characteristics, cytotoxic outcomes, and underlying mechanisms.
Results: All included studies demonstrated dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity of bee venom and melittin against various human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and HER2-enriched subtypes). The primary mechanisms involved apoptosis induction via mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS generation, and inhibition of receptor phosphorylation (EGFR and HER2). Melittin exhibited selective cytotoxicity toward aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells while sparing normal cells. Bee venom–derived nanoparticles also showed promising biocompatibility and anticancer activity. Combination therapy with chemotherapeutic agents, such as docetaxel, enhanced antitumor effects.
Conclusion: Apitoxin and its bioactive peptides, particularly melittin, exhibit potent and selective anticancer properties against breast cancer through multiple molecular mechanisms. While these findings highlight their potential as complementary or alternative therapies, further in vivo studies and clinical trials are necessary to confirm their safety, specificity, and therapeutic efficacy.
