Potentialities of the Colombian propolis in pharmaceutics and cosmetics: A standpoint from the quality control

Yuly Ximena Correa-González,Claudia Elizabeth Mora-Huertas,Maritza Adelina Rojas-Cardozo

doi:10.15446/rcciquifa.v48n3.84991

Yuly Ximena Correa-González, Claudia Elizabeth Mora-Huertas + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15446/rcciquifa.v48n3.84991

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Abstract

Propolis is a hive product made by bees from vegetable exudates that are mixed with their secretions. The value of this material is established in terms of the content of biologically active molecules, that analytically is represented by parameters such as ethanol-soluble compounds (resins), oxidation index, phenolic compounds and total content of flavonoids. On the contrary, if propolis has a high percentage of waxes, mechanic impurities or heavy metals, it is classified as a sub-standard beekeeping product. On this basis, this research work illustrates the use of quality control as a strategy to identify the possible application of two samples of Colombian propolis for developing innovative pharmaceutic and cosmetic formulations. The results evidence that the investigated samples are low-quality propolis because of their high waxes content. However, far from being a disadvantage, these waxes could generate added value when they are incorporated, for example, in products requiring lipid components as nano and microparticulate systems or nanofibrous composite scaffolds and films.

Highlights

In general terms, raw propolis is composed of 50% of resin and vegetal balsam, that contains the most of biologically active substances; 30% to 35% of waxes; 5% to 10% of aromatic oils; approximately 5% of pollen and at lower proportion, organic waste
Propolis is a raw material of natural source highly valued in pharmaceutics and cosmetics because of its content of active molecules
In this work, an approach based on the typical quality controls of propolis is used to propose its potential applications in the design of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products

Summary

Introduction

Raw propolis is composed of 50% of resin and vegetal balsam, that contains the most of biologically active substances; 30% to 35% of waxes; 5% to 10% of aromatic oils; approximately 5% of pollen and at lower proportion, organic waste. In propolis there are sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, silicon, iron, sulfur and aluminum [1], and vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, ascorbic acid, and α−tocopherol [2,3,4]. More than three hundred different chemical compounds are identified in this material including flavonoids, phenolic acids, acetophenone derivatives, lignans, terpenes, volatile components (such as monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes), aromatic compounds, sugars, hydrocarbons, and monoesters [5, 7]. Up to now, there is evidence of propolis activity as antimicrobial [8,9,10], antifungal [11, 12] and antiviral [13, 14].

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