Bee venom acupuncture therapy ameliorates ulcerative colitis by reducing inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and suppressing the NF-κB/HIF-1α pathway

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that poses a significant challenge to public health due to its relapsing nature and complex pathogenesis. This study investigated the protective effects of bee venom acupuncture on UC and explored the underlying mechanisms using a rat model of UC. The findings demonstrated that bee venom acupuncture significantly restored body weight, reduced disease activity index (DAI) scores, and ameliorated colonic tissue injury. Moreover, bee venom therapy decreased serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8), and downregulated their protein expression in colon tissue. Furthermore, assessment of oxidative stress biomarkers revealed that bee venom treatment significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels while elevating superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) levels in the colon. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses indicated that bee venom treatment inhibited NF-κB/HIF-1α pathway. In conclusion, bee venom acupuncture ameliorates UC by reducing inflammatory responses, alleviating oxidative stress, and suppressing NF-κB/HIF-1α pathway, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic strategy for UC management.