Apitherapy is the use of bee products, including honey, pollen, propolis, beeswax, royal jelly, apilarnil, bees, and venom, for medicinal purposes. In veterinary medicine, apitherapy can be employed to treat various conditions in animals, such as infections, wounds, allergies, and arthritis.

The origins of apitherapy date back centuries to Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, Babylonian, and other civilizations. Claims regarding the healing effects of apitherapy are largely scientifically unproven and primarily based on individual experiences and traditional use.

Today, apitherapy has a broader significance, leading to the term APIMEDICINE, which is part of integrative medicine. It is a holistic approach that goes beyond the concept of alternative medicine and can be an excellent complement to conventional medicine, especially in prevention and rehabilitation. Apitherapy signifies comprehensive treatment: using or incorporating everything, or treating everything.

Bee products are also dietary supplements, foods, and medicines. Bee products facilitate the action of pharmacological drugs by enhancing the immune system’s capabilities. Due to the rich composition of bee products, they can sometimes prevent the onset of diseases.

Apitherapy is a holistic healing method because it is harmoniously connected to natural processes and incorporates insights from other holistic therapies such as herbal therapy (the bee being the “flying pharmacist”), aromatherapy (use of volatile substances), acupuncture, acupressure, Ayurveda, and, of course, the findings of conventional medicine.

The methods of application are diverse, with preparations used for both internal and external use. This includes oral intake and application through various body openings, external use with compresses, ointments, massages, inhalations, aerosol inhalations using aerosol devices, treatments with ultrasound, electrotherapy, galvanic current, injections, etc.

In summary, bees offer us numerous possibilities with their products, which humanity has learned to use effectively for improved well-being, increased resistance, or the treatment of various ailments, combining ancient knowledge with modern methods and understanding.

Thanks to Filip Terč, a Czech-born physician in Maribor, Slovenia, we Slovenians are pioneers in apitherapy in Europe. In his spare time, Filip Terč engaged in beekeeping and treated rheumatic diseases with bee venom in his practice. He documented his successes in professional journals, attracting significant attention in international medical circles.

In veterinary medicine, there are several ways to apply apitherapy. Honey has been used for centuries as a natural antimicrobial agent, often applied locally to wounds to prevent infection and accelerate healing. It is sometimes also administered orally to treat respiratory and digestive infections, among other conditions.