Honey bee as apitoxin, carries several active components, the most abundant of which is melittin, and the most biologically active are enzymes, particularly phospholipase A2. Bee venom is under laboratory and clinical research for its potential properties and uses in reducing risks for adverse events from bee venom therapy, rheumatoid arthritis, and use as an immunotherapy for protection against allergies from insect stings. Bee venom products are marketed in many countries, but, as of 2018, there are no approved clinical uses for these products which carry various warnings for potential allergic reactions. With an increased number of honey bees in a specific
Evolution of snake venom contain more than 100 distinct proteins. The composition of this mixture has been shown to vary geographically, and to be related to the prey species available in a certain region. Snake venom has generally evolved very quickly, with changes occurring faster in the venom than in the rest of the organism. Some traditional hypotheses of snake venom evolution have supported the idea that most snakes inject far more venom into their prey than is required to kill them; thus, venom composition would not be subject to natural selection. This is known as the "overkill" hypothesis. However, recent studies of the