Comparative Effects of Bee Venom and Clindamycin on Propionibacterium acnes-induced Inflammatory Skin Disease in Mice

Abstract

Acne is the most common skin disease, causing significant psychosocial problems for those afflicted. Currently, available agents for acne treatment have limited to use with antibiotics, which cause side effects or resistance. Bee venom (BV) has traditionally been used as a treatment for a wide variety of ailments such as inflammatory diseases. Despite its well documented antiinflammatory property, it has not been fully demonstrated regarding the influence of BV against inflammatory acne. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory property of BV and clindamycin, which is well-known antibiotics against acne treatment. To induce inflammation in vivo using Propionibactierium acnes (P. acnes), 1×10 7 CFU of living P. acnes were intradermally injected into the ear of mice. BV (50, 100, 200 and 400μg/g) in gel and clindamycin (1%) was applied epicutaneously on the ear. Epicutaneous administration of BV or clindamycin decreased the number of infiltrated inflammatory cells and inflammatory cytokines in the ear, thereby relieving P. acnes-induced ear swelling and subsequent proinflammatory cytokine expression, especially at the dose of 200μg/g of BV. The anti-inflammatory effects of BV is relatively same or superior compared to those of clindamycin in P. acnes-induced inflammation in vivo. These results demonstrate that the potential of using BV as an alternative treatment to the antibiotic therapy of acne.