July 29, 2003 – Regular injections of ant venom may help prevent life-threatening reactions that occur in people who are allergic to it.
The randomized study, conducted by Australian researchers, included 68 healthy subjects with a known allergy to ants. Half of them received a placebo, while the other half received injections of venom. The dose of venom injected was determined according to the sensitization threshold of each.
The results are convincing1. At the end of treatment, all participants were deliberately exposed to an ant bite. A systemic reaction was recorded in 72% of patients in the control group, but in only 34% of patients who received venom injections.
Ant venom is not the only one to which therapeutic virtues have been discovered. That of bees, used in apitherapy, is used to treat chronic rheumatic and arthritic ailments, certain inflammatory diseases such as tendonitis and bursitis, as well as multiple sclerosis.
A drug derived from the venom of a lizard is also believed to help diabetics control their blood sugar levels.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to L’actualité Médicale and WebMD; April 15 and June 17, 2003.
1. Brown SG, Wiese MD, Blackman KE, Heddle RJ. Ant venom immunotherapy: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.Lancet 2003 Mar 22; 361 (9362): 1001-6. [Consulté le 29 juillet 2003].
