Inhibitory effect of bee venom on the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis

Abstract

Trichomoniasis, a common cause of vaginitis, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in humans, worldwide. It is caused by infection with the single-celled protozoan parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis, which disrupts normal vaginal flora. The administration of metronidazole, approved by the WHO, is currently being used for trichomoniasis treatment. However, there is a great need for development of safe alternative drugs from natural products because of metronidazole's adverse effects. In this investigation, bee venom effectively inhibited Trichomonas vaginalis growth in a concentration-dependent manner. ? 2014 Korean Society of Environmental Risk Assessment and Health Science and Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.