system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is it that one of the main compounds in bee venom, melittin, can be used as an anti-inflammatory when it causes the area that is stung to become swollen?
gpt
Bee venom contains many components. It causes a reaction in some ways, but stifles certain other immune responses that would diminish the venoms effects. 

This makes it good for *some* types of inflammation. There are many kinds of receptors and chemical messagers that are in control of inflammation, this protein in bee venom specificly works for receptor/pathways called NF-kB and JAK-2. 

These control responses to some specific  inflammatory triggers. The protein (melittin) in bee venom inhibits them, meaning it blocks them from working. By doing so, it stops the body from responding to those inflammation triggers. That stops or reduces the inflammation before it happens. 

So basically, melittin blocks the things that cause inflammation to protect the venom so it can do its job better. Otherwise, these reactions could help to stop the venom. We use this to benifit us by using the protein by itself without the other things in venom that cause inflammation in other ways.