Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part H (2025)

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related illness and mortality worldwide, necessitating the exploration of new treatments that offer greater effectiveness and reduced toxicity. Among the bioactive components of bee venom, melittin a 26-amino-acid amphipathic cationic peptide comprising 40-60% of bee venom has garnered significant scientific interest. Melittin exhibits potent anticancer properties through two primary mechanisms: direct disruption of cell membranes and modulation of intracellular signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt and NF-κB. These actions lead to apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, reduced tumor growth, and suppression of invasion and metastasis. Preclinical studies have shown that melittin is effective against various cancer cell lines, including aggressive breast cancer subtypes like triple-negative and HER2-positive tumors. Advances in venom extraction, peptide synthesis, and formulation techniques such as nanoparticle encapsulation, targeted conjugates, and combination therapy have significantly improved tumor selectivity while reducing systemic toxicity and hemolytic risk. Despite these promising findings, the therapeutic use of melittin is still limited due to challenges with immunogenicity, nonspecific cytotoxicity, and the lack of extensive human trials. This review highlights the epidemiology of breast cancer, the pharmacological and biochemical properties of melittin, its anticancer mechanisms, therapeutic advantages over conventional treatments, potential side effects, and recent progress in melittin research. Overall, melittin is a promising anticancer candidate with strong preclinical evidence; however, further optimization of delivery systems and well-designed clinical trials are needed to assess its safety, efficacy, and potential role in future breast cancer treatment.