Research onlyAntimicrobial & immuneSubcutaneousEvidence 2/5

Melittin

Also known as: bee venom peptide

Melittin inserts into lipid bilayers and folds into an amphipathic alpha-helix that forms transmembrane toroidal pores, disrupting the membrane and lysing cells without binding a specific receptor.

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This page is a structured profile. Narrative evidence, dosing context and FAQs live on the research guide — not duplicated here as a second full article.

Illustrative profileSubcutaneous

Database profileResearch only

MelittinAntimicrobial & immune

Drug class: Cytolytic antimicrobial (membrane-active) peptide
Primary targets: Phospholipid bilayer membranes, Microbial cell membranes, Cancer cell membranes
Dose reference: No validated human dose; in vitro antibacterial MIC values reported around 8-32 ug/mL (laboratory measurements, explicitly not dosing recommendations)
Half-life: Not established in humans; reviews report rapid plasma degradation and poor pharmacokinetics
Developer / origin: Honeybee venom (Apis mellifera); first isolated and sequenced by Habermann and Jentsch
Reference year: 1967
Evidence score: 2/5 - Preclinical

Evidence 2/5

Preclinical

Melittin shows broad in vitro and animal-model antimicrobial, antiviral and anticancer activity through membrane-pore formation, but there are no human trials demonstrating therapeutic benefit and development is limited by hemolysis and non-selective toxicity.

Mostly animal, ex vivo, cell, or indirect evidence.

Evidence basis

In vitro antibacterial activity against drug-resistant pathogens (MIC ~8-32 ug/mL)
Preclinical anticancer mechanisms in cell and animal models
Documented hemolysis and normal-cell cytotoxicity at low concentrations
No approved human indication and no positive human efficacy trials

Key references

How to read this entry

Dose references and half-life values are pulled from trial protocols, labels, reviews, or published summaries where available. They are context for research and comparison, not a personal dosing recommendation.

Status matters: approved drugs have regulated indications; investigational compounds are still being studied; research-only peptides do not have established human dosing, safety, or efficacy for consumer use.

Melittin guides

Read the matching guide or adjacent research pages for more context.

Melittin Peptide: Bee Venom Cytolytic Peptide, Research and SafetyMelittin is the main cytolytic peptide of honeybee venom with promising preclinical antimicrobial and anticancer signals but no approved human use due to hemolysis and toxicity.Antimicrobial Peptides: LL-37, KPV, Melittin and Evidence LimitsAntimicrobial peptides are a real area of drug research, but LL-37, KPV, melittin and related peptides sit at very different evidence and safety levels.Thymalin Peptide: Khavinson Thymic Bioregulator, Evidence and LimitsThymalin is a calf-thymus peptide bioregulator approved in Russia for immunocorrection, with aging and immune claims resting mostly on Russian-language studies.Thymogen Peptide: Glutamyl-Tryptophan Immune Bioregulator Evidence and LimitsThymogen is a synthetic glutamyl-tryptophan dipeptide immunomodulator marketed in Russia but unapproved elsewhere, with limited rigorous human evidence.

Peptide calculators

Use calculators for concentration, unit conversion and repeated-dose accumulation math.

Peptide reconstitution calculatorCalculate concentration, draw volume and syringe units from vial strength and BAC water.Open tool Peptide accumulation calculatorModel repeated dosing schedules with half-life, interval, peak and trough estimates.Open tool Peptide unit converterConvert mg, mcg, optional IU and syringe units from one reconstituted vial setup.Open tool Peptide chemistry calculatorAnalyze sequence length, molecular weight, composition, charge, hydropathy and notation.Open tool