Allergenic potency of bee antigens measured by RAST inhibition.

The potency of various bee antigens including bee venom, several whole bee body extracts and fractions of bee venom was studied using the RAST inhibition method. As compared to whole bee body extract, bee venom was a much more potent inhibitor of both bee venom and whole body RAST, suggesting that venom has a greater capacity to bind specific bee IgE antibodies. Whole body extracts also varied substantially in their inhibiting activity. Phospholipase A and hyaluronidase were the most potent of the bee venom fractions suggesting their potential use as an assay for standardization of insect extracts.