Abstract
ABSTRACT: Bees generally use different botanical sources of resins for the production of propolis. The elucidation of botanical sources of propolis and identification of the effects of seasonality on the chemical profile of propolis are recognized as two important aspects in the development of a high quality product. Thus, our objective was to elucidate the botanical source and identify the effect of the seasons on the chemical profile of propolis produced in southern Brazil. The chemical profile of the samples was analysed by spectrophotometric and chromatographic techniques and the results were coupled to multivariate analysis. Field observation of the foraging behaviour of Apis mellifera L. revealed its preference for the Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. species. p-Coumaric acid, 3, 4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, drupanin, and artepillin C which were identified in both plant and propolis samples. Moreover, higher artepillin C amounts have been detected in samples collected in the summer and autumn, while the main compounds of p-coumaric acid and quercetin were available in spring and winter sampled propolis, respectively. Baccharis dracunculifolia has been identified as a plant species preferred by A. mellifera in foraging resin for the production of propolis in southern Brazil. The contents of balsam, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids varied significantly over the seasons, with values above the minimum required by the legislation, thus assuring a quality pattern for this biomass.
Highlights
Propolis is a substance collected by honeybees from plant sources which is added to salivary enzymes, beeswax, and pollen (Bankova et al, 2000)
The field observations of the behavior of Apis mellifera allowed for identifying a predilection for B. dracunculifolia
The chemical profile of propolis hydroalcoholic extract (HE) determined by RP-HPLC was compared with the profile of B. dracunculifolia to determine the botanical source
Summary
Propolis is a substance collected by honeybees from plant sources which is added to salivary enzymes, beeswax, and pollen (Bankova et al, 2000). Bees use different botanical sources for the production of propolis, and may even use more than one botanical source. Numerous studies have confirmed that different species of the Populus spp. are resin donors for the production of propolis P. nigra known to be a major resin donor in Europe, North America, and non-tropical regions of Asia and New Zealand (Greenaway et al, 1988; Markham et al, 1996; Bankova et al, 2000). Phytochemical analysis was an aid in proving that the Populus alba species had been correctly identified as the main botanical source of propolis in southern Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay (Park et al, 2002). In Venezuela, the Clusia spp. had been identified as the botanical source for the production of this propolis (Cuesta-Rubio et al, 2002)
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