Bee venom has long been used in folk medicine to treat immune-related diseases, such as arthritis. In recent decades, researchers have been exploring its use in fighting many conditions, including cancer. Researchers in South Korea have found still another use for the venom: A study found that the venom from honey bees may be as effective in treating enlarged prostates as conventional drugs.

Also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlarged prostate is one of the most common diseases among elderly men. About three of four men in their 60s have the condition, and it affects more than 90 percent of those over the age of 80. Symptoms include frequent urination and a weak urinary stream.

According to the Wall Street Journal, rats were castrated and then given testosterone to cause them to develop BPH. They were then divided into three groups. One group was treated with bee venom, and the second was treated with the drug finasteride (Propecia, Proscar), which is commonly used to treat enlarged prostate. The third group got no additional treatment. A fourth group of uncastrated rats received placebo shots and served as a control.

Researchers found that the prostates of rats castrated and then given testosterone were significantly larger — 1.8 times — than the control rats. But the prostates of rats given either bee venom or finasteride were much smaller: When compared to control rats, the rats given bee venom were only 1.1 times larger, and those treated with finasteride were 1.3 times larger.

In addition, enzymes and proteins associated with enlarged prostate were also lower in the rats treated with bee venom and finasteride.

The research was published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine.