Resumo

PENA, L; PINEDA, M. E; HERNANDEZ, M  e  RODRIGUEZ-ACOSTA, A. Toxinas Naturales: abejas y sus venenos. AVFT [online]. 2006, vol.25, n.1, pp.6-10. ISSN 0798-0264.

Apis mellífera mellífera venom is a complex mixture of high and low molecular weight molecules, enzymes and peptides. Phospholipase A2, mellitin and apamin are the compounds causing the fatal accidents in the humans. They also cause local damage in the sting location and other serious effects, such as systemic reactions. The bee venom toxicity on the humans is not known with accuracy, the venom lethal dose 50 in mice, is from 2.5 to 2.8 mg/kg via endovenous and the lethal dose is 6 mg/kg via endovenous. When a bee stings injects from 50 to 100 µg of venom. The toxic effects of the sting are immediately originated; the beginning of the anaphylaxis is typical and quick, produced minutes after the sting. The serum disease can occur 10 to 14 days after the accident. A hundred stings can be necessary to kill a human, although there are other cases where one sting can cause the death and others that have stung them 400 or more and they have survived.

Palavras-chave : bee; apamin; phospholipase A2; mellitin; venom.