Remedies for bee dying Research discovers new drug against parasites

Breakthrough in the fight against dangerous bee parasites

Experts have been warning for years that bees are in danger. The Varroa mite is one of the world's most dangerous enemies of the bees: within one to three years, it can completely kill a bee colony. German researchers have now discovered a drug against this parasite.

Pesticides and parasites endanger bees

Scientists and beekeepers have been observing massive bee mortality for years. This has fatal consequences for humans, because the insects play an essential role in agriculture, as they pollinate the flowers of crops and thus directly influence the harvest. Cause of bee mortality include certain crop protection products. In particular, two insecticides harm queen bees, as an international team of scientists has discovered. But an introduced parasite also causes problems for the bees: the Varroa mite. German researchers have now discovered a drug against the dangerous bee pest.

Scientists and beekeepers have been observing massive bee mortality for years. The Varroa mite is one of the most dangerous enemies of bees worldwide. Researchers have now discovered a drug against the dangerous parasite. (Image: hikrcn / fotolia.com)

Varroa mite can completely eradicate bee colony

The Varroa mite is one of the world's most dangerous enemies of the bees: within one to three years, it can completely kill a bee colony.

The parasite, originally from Asia, was introduced to Europe about 40 years ago via imported bees.

Until now, beekeepers had to treat infested beehives with aggressive organic acids or chemically-derived miticides that cause resistance problems and residues.

Researchers at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart have now succeeded for the first time in developing a potential drug that can liberate infested beehives from the dreaded Varroa mite with little effort.

The promising substance is readily available lithium chloride. After more than 25 years of research, this is the first time that a new active ingredient has been available in the global fight against the Varroa mite, which has a completely different effect than previous remedies.

Talks are already underway with companies with the goal of product development and approval. The scientists published their first results in the scientific journal "Scientific Reports".

Discovered active ingredient against dangerous parasites

A cheap, easy-to-use active ingredient against the dangerous mite, which according to the current state of knowledge of the researchers has no dangerous side effects for bees, beekeepers or consumers and abundant in nature occurs: The results of the research project promise.

With lithium chloride, the research team has found a drug for such a drug that is easy to obtain and administer. Even for a deposit in honey, there are no signs so far.

"Lithium chloride can be used to feed bees dissolved in sugar water. In our experiments, even small amounts of saline solution were enough to kill the mites on the bees within a few days - without side effects for the bees, "Dr. Peter Rosenkranz, Head of the State Institute for Bee Science, in a statement.

Further tests needed

Its availability also speaks in favor of the active ingredient: the global reserves of the light metal lithium are estimated at over 40 million tons, as lithium chloride salt is found in brines, salt lakes and mineral springs, and in some cases in an amazingly high concentration.

The water-soluble salt is used inter alia as a desiccant and deicer solution. In human medicine, it has been used since the mid-20th century as an antidepressant.

However, before the drug can be marketed as a drug for bees, further testing is needed to determine the best dosage and eliminate side effects for bees and users, as well as the risk of residues.

This is currently being discussed with companies that want to continue this development.

Discovered by accident

Actually, the team had Dr. Rosary pursues a much more complex approach:

"Together with the biotechnology start-up SiTOOLs Biotech, we tried to use the RNA interference method, or RNAi method, to selectively switch off specific genes. This process was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2006 and has since been used worldwide to combat disease. "

The idea: RNA fragments are fed to the bee and then taken up by the Varroa mite during blood sucking. In the mite, the fragments eliminate targeted vital genes of the parasite.

"For the bees, these RNA fragments are harmless because they interact exclusively with varroaspecific genes. In the Varroa mite, however, central metabolic processes are disturbed and the mite is eventually killed. " rosary.

The approach shows success, but then the scientists noticed something strange: "In control experiments, we were able to kill the mites even with nonspecific RNA fragments, which should not find a genetic target in bees or mites," reports Dr. med. rosary.

"Something in our 'gene mix' did not get the mites, while the bees took no damage."

It took nearly two years for lithium chloride to be found as the secret miracle weapon against the parasite. The researchers used the chemical as an aid in isolating the RNA fragments, which are used to turn off the genes in the bee body.

A momentous discovery, because the RNAi method would work well, but would be expensive and expensive. "Lithium chloride, on the other hand, is easy to produce, relatively inexpensive, and easy to store." (Ad)