Bee venom and its major component, melittin, may be effective treatments for atopic dermatitis, according to a British Journal of Pharmacology study.

Through studies conducted in mice and in human cells, investigators found that bee venom and melittin suppress inflammation through various mechanisms on immune cells and inflammatory molecules.

“This study demonstrated that bee venom and melittin have immunomodulatory activity, and such activity was associated with the regulation of T helper cell differentiation, thereby ameliorating the inflammatory skin diseases caused by atopic dermatitis,” the authors wrote.