BEE VENOM may be able to help fight against HIV / AIDS?

This item totally lifted from the website:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4831508/Bee-stings-could-prevent-the-spread-of-HIV-doctors-claim.html

BEE stings could prevent the spread of HIV, doctors have sensationally claimed.

A chemical in the insects' venom can destroy the killer virus while leaving surrounding cells unharmed, research found.

The discovery has been hailed as an important step towards developing a gel that could stem the spread of HIV, which causes AIDS.

HIV ... the bee toxin is loaded onto nanoparticles before attacking the virus

A potent toxin in bee stings called melittin kills HIV cells by punching holes through their protective outer layer.

Scientists loaded the toxin into tiny nanoparticles, which are attached with "bumpers" to make them bounce off normal cells.

But when smaller HIV cells come into contact with the larger nanoparticles, they slip between the bumpers and are attacked by the lethal bee toxin within.

Attack ... melittin (green) fuse with HIV

Dr Joshua L. Hood, who took part in the study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, US, said the bee toxin could be used in vaginal gel to prevent to prevent HIV from spreading.

He said: “Our hope is that in places where HIV is running rampant, people could use this gel as a preventive measure to stop the initial infection.”

Describing how bee venom attacks HIV, Dr Hood added: “Melittin on the nanoparticles fuses with the viral envelope.

“The melittin forms little pore-like attack complexes and ruptures the envelope, stripping it off the virus.”

Whereas most anti-HIV drugs inhibit the virus’s ability to replicate, bee toxin actually attacks the virus’s structure and prevents infection.

Dr Hood added: “We are attacking an inherent physical property of HIV.

“Theoretically, there isn’t any way for the virus to adapt to that.”

Doctors also said melittin-loaded nanoparticles could be an effective way to kill tumour cells.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4831508/Bee-stings-could-prevent-the-spread-of-HIV-doctors-claim.html#ixzz2Pgus3BfK