Biological Activity Of Propolis Research Articles

Is Propolis a Potential Anti-Obesogenic Agent for Obesity?

Propolis is a bee product that has been used for thousands of years. The chemical composition and biological activity of propolis, which has been investigated in the twentieth century, may vary according to location. Propolis polyphenols can induce thermogenesis in brown and beige fat tissue via the uncoupled protein-1 and creatinine kinase metabolic pathways. This review provides a comprehensive investigation of the structural and biological properties of propolis and provides insights into their promising potential strategies in body weight management. By raising overall energy expenditure, it might lead to body weight management. Furthermore, the phenolic components artepillin C, quercetin, catechin, and chlorogenic acid found in its composition may have anti-obesogenic effect by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, enhancing browning in white adipose tissue, and triggering AMP-activated protein kinase activation and mitochondrial biogenesis. Propolis, a natural product, is effective in preventing obesity which is a contemporary pandemic.

In vitro study on antidiabetic and antihypertensive activities of ethanolic extract of propolis of Indonesian stingless bee Tetragonula sapiens

The stingless bee, Tetragonula sapiens, is one of the species producing propolis in Indonesia. To date, there is still limited information about the standard characteristics and biological activity of propolis. This study investigated the standardized extract of Indonesian propolis in terms of its potency for controlling diabetes and high blood pressure in vitro, in accordance with its standard parameters. Three types of extracts; i.e., ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP), spray-dry propolis without wax (SDPNW), and spray-dry propolis with wax (SDPW); were prepared from T. sapiens stingless bees collected in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The ethanolic extractable, loss on drying, ash, and water content parameters of EEP, SDPNW, and SDPW met the natural extract requirement. There is no significant value for their residual solvent levels (<0.54%), heavy metals (the absence of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg contamination), or the absence of microbial contamination. ACE inhibition activity on captopril, EEP, SDPNW, and SDPW had IC50 values of 5.97, 115.06, 112.93, and 116.70 ppm, respectively. While the IC50 values of acarbose, SDPNW, EEP, and SDPW for antidiabetic activity of α-glucosidase inhibition were 53.34, 56.48, 60.09, and 68.28 ppm, respectively. The TFC and TPC content of SDPNW were higher than EEP and SDPW, with values of 1.59% and 1.93%, respectively. It can be said that Indonesian propolis extract meets the standards for an extract and has the potential to reduce diabetic and hypertensive diseases. Further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to develop standardized propolis extract as an anti-diabetic and antihypertensive agent.

Comparative Study of Antiviral, Cytotoxic, Antioxidant Activities, Total Phenolic Profile and Chemical Content of Propolis Samples in Different Colors from Turkiye.

Propolis is a valuable natural substance obtained by honey bees after being collected from the bark, resin of trees, plant leaves and mixed with their saliva, and has been widely used for various biological activities. The properties of propolis can vary widely by botanical origin, location of the hives and colony population. It is thought that the color of propolis is one of the main factors determining its acceptability and originates from the flower markers, pollen and nectar of some plants and is directly related to its chemical content. It is important to compare and standardize the colors, chemical content and biological activities of propolis in our country, which has a rich endemic plant diversity. Thus, in this study, the color indexes of 39 propolis samples from different locations in Turkiye were determined by Lovibond Tintometer, for the first time. The color index, total phenolic content, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities relationship of propolis and two commercial propolis samples were also investigated by HCA and PCA. Turkish propolis, which is defined by its color indices, chemical contents and many different activity potentials, such as antioxidant, antiviral and cytotoxic activity, will find use in many fields from medicine to cosmetics with this study.

Chemical Variability and Pharmacological Potential of Propolis as a Source for the Development of New Pharmaceutical Products.

This review aims to analyze propolis as a potential raw material for the development and manufacture of new health-promoting products. Many scientific publications were retrieved from the Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases via searching the word "propolis". The different extraction procedures, key biologically active compounds, biological properties, and therapeutic potential of propolis were analyzed. It was concluded that propolis possesses a variety of biological properties because of a very complex chemical composition that mainly depends on the plant species visited by bees and species of bees. Numerous studies found versatile pharmacological activities of propolis: antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, etc. In this review, the composition and biological activities of propolis are presented from a point of view of the origin and standardization of propolis for the purpose of the development of new pharmaceutical products on its base. It was revealed that some types of propolis, especially European propolis, contain flavonoids and phenolic acids, which could be markers for the standardization and quality evaluation of propolis and its preparations. One more focus of this paper was the overview of microorganisms’ sensitivity to propolis for further development of antimicrobial and antioxidant products for the treatment of various infectious diseases with an emphasis on the illnesses of the oral cavity. It was established that the antimicrobial activity of different types of propolis is quite significant, especially to Gram-negative bacteria and lipophilic viruses. The present study could be also of interest to the pharmaceutical industry as a review for the appropriate design of standardized propolis preparations such as mouthwashes, toothpastes, oral drops, sprays, creams, ointments, suppositories, tablets, and capsules, etc. Moreover, propolis could be regarded as a source for the isolation of biologically active substances. Furthermore, this review can facilitate partially overcoming the problem of the standardization of propolis preparations, which is a principal obstacle to the broader use of propolis in the pharmaceutical industry. Finally, this study could be of interest in the area of the food industry for the development of nutritionally well-balanced products. The results of this review indicate that propolis deserves to be better studied for its promising therapeutic effects from the point of view of the connection of its chemical composition with the locality of its collection, vegetation, appropriate extraction methods, and standardization.

Extraction method optimization and the seasonal effect in the biological activities and phenolic compounds of Brazilian green propolis

Propolis has been considered a resinous substance with a complex chemical composition that is collected from several plant species by Apis mellifera bees, and used by man as an alternative to the healing of diseases and to keep a good health. The chemical composition of propolis is related to the biodiversity of the region visited by the bees and also to the season of collection. This research purpose was to optimize the production methodology of propolis’ ethanol extract production and to evaluate the effect of seasonality in the chemical composition and biological activities of this product. Propolis’ samples were collected from the apiary at the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sul de Minas Gerais - Campus Muzambinho and were used to make ethanol extracts. In the optimization stage, different ethanolic solution concentration, extraction method and drying temperatures were used. For the analysis of the seasonal effect, propolis was collected from the same place in different seasons. The results showed that the 80% ethanolic solution, the extraction temperature of 70oC and drying at 45oC were the ones that stood out the most. Regarding the effect of seasonality on the chemical composition and biological activities of propolis, it is clear that there are differences between the propolis collected in different seasons.

Quantification of chrysin in Korean propolis samples by ultra high performance liquid chromatography

Propolis has been used by humans as a nutraceutical agent with therapeutic benefits for many centuries. The chemical composition and biological activities of propolis depend on its botanical and geographical origins. The aim of this study was to characterize Korean propolis by quantitating their chrysin content using an ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Methanol extracts of propolis were comprehensively analyzed by UPLC for the isolation and quantification of chrysin in propolis from different origins. The reproducibility of the method was 1.9% to 6.0%, and accuracy was confirmed with average recovery ranging from 98.2% to 101.0%. The chrysin content in propolis samples was successfully determined within 13.299 min. All propolis samples, except those from Jeju Island, contained chrysin. There were some variations in the concentration of chrysin among propolis samples from different locations. The chrysin of the analyzed propolis samples confirmed their affiliation to the Korean propolis except those from Jeju Island, and the proposed UPLC method yielded good sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, and accuracy.

Chemical characterization of Saudi propolis and its antiparasitic and anticancer properties

Propolis, is a gummy material produced by honey bees from different parts of plants and is enriched with varied biological active compounds like flavonoids, phenolics and phenolic acids with wide applicability in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. The current report is focused on the characterisation of propolis collected from Asir region, South-west of Saudi Arabia and its effect on Trypanosoma brucei (the causative organism of African sleeping sickness) and cytotoxic effect against U937 human leukemia cells. The Chemical composition and spectral characteristics of Saudi propolis was studied by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS) and High-performance liquid chromatography–evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC–ELSD).The two main active compounds isolated from Saudi propolis via column chromatography and size exclusion chromatography were fisetinidol and ferulic acid. High resolution electrospray ionization–mass spectrophotometer (HRESI–MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to elucidate the structures of the isolated compounds. All crudes extracts, fractions as well as isolated compounds were subjected for biological testing against Trypanosoma brucei (S427 WT), and their cytotoxicity against U937 human leukemia cells. Amongst the various samples investigated, S-6 fraction demonstrated highest anti-trypanosomal activity at 2.4 µg/ml MIC followed by fisetinidol at 4.7 µg/ml reflecting that the anti-trypanosomal activity is attributable to the presence of fisetinidol in the fraction. Similarly, all the tested samples exhibited cytotoxicity with an IC50 > 60 µg/ml. S-6 fractions exhibited highest cytotoxic activity against U937 cells with an IC50 of 58.7 µg/ml followed by ferulic acid with an IC50 87.7 µg/ml indicating that the cytotoxic effect of propolis might be due to the presence of ferulic acid. In conclusion, the biological activity of propolis could be attributed to the synergistic action of the two active compounds-ferulic acid and fisetinidol. The data obtained in the study is thus indicative of the role of propolis as potential anti-trypanosomal and anticancer agent for effective cancer therapy.

Attenuation of carrageenan-induced hind paw edema and plasma TNF-α level by Philippine stingless bee (Tetragonula biroi Friese) propolis.

Despite decades-long existence of the Philippine stingless bee industry, the biological activity of propolis from this native bee species (Tetragonula biroi Friese) remains poorly understood and sparingly investigated. Herein, we examined the potential anti-inflammatory efficacy of Philippine stingless bee propolis using the lambda (λ)-carrageenan-induced mice model of hind paw edema. Thirty (30), six-week-old, male ICR mice were randomly assigned into three treatment groups (n=10/group) as follows: distilled water group, diclofenac sodium group (10 mg/kg), and propolis group (100 mg/kg). All treatment were administered an hour prior to the injection of the phlogistic agent. As observed at 3 h post-injection, λ-carrageenan remarkably evoked the classical signs of hind paw edema exemplified grossly by swelling and hyperemia. The ameliorative effect of propolis became apparent at the onset of 6 h post-injection with a statistically significant finding evident at the 24-h period. This gross attenuation histologically correlated to a considerable and specific reduction of the dermal edema, which mirrored those of the diclofenac sodium group. Furthermore, both propolis and diclofenac sodium significantly attenuated the λ-carrageenan-induced increase in the protein expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) depicting more than two-fold decrement relative to the distilled water group. Altogether, these suggest that Philippine stingless bee propolis also exhibited a promising in vivo anti-inflammatory property, which can be partly mediated through the inhibition of TNF-α.

Propolis and Potential Use in Food Products

Propolis is attracting great interest due to functional effects such as antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer. Therefore, studies about the use of propolis in food products and increasing propolis consumption in human nutrition have increased in recent years. Propolis contains phenolic compounds, essential oils, aromatic acids and waxes which are responsible for biological effects. Many factors such as plant resources, geographical regions and environmental conditions affect the chemical composition of propolis. Propolis enrichment in food products to improve the nutritional value, quality and functionality of food have been investigated in many studies. Furthermore, it was reported that propolis can meet the demand of consumers about the use of natural food additive in food manufacturing. The aim of the present study was to introduce the physicochemical composition and biological activity of propolis and review the studies about its applications in food products.

Aktywność biologiczna roślinnych produktów pszczelich pochodzących z Gór Sowich

Introduction. Herbal bee products, including honey, propolis and pollen, are wide applied in various branches of industry due to their natural origin and biological activities. Bee products exhibit e.g. antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activity. In addition, honey, propolis and pollen characterize diverse and complex chemical composition. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine antioxidant and antibacterial activity of honey, propolis and pollen from the Sowie Mountains. Material and methods. In the study, honey, propolis and pollen collected from an apiary located in the Sowie Mountains were used. The tested bee products were extracted with ethanol, and the obtained extracts from bee products were used to determine their antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The antioxidant potential of bee products were evaluated applying DPPH· free radical scavenging activity assay. The antimicrobial activity of the tested bee products was determined by the point-diffusion method against 13 strains of pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria. In addition, the total content of phenolic compounds in the tested bee products was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Results. Among the tested bee products, propolis exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. The antiradical activity of propolis was equal to 96% approx. activity of Trolox, the standard antioxidant used in this study. Propolis had the highest total phenol content. All bee products showed antagonistic activity against all tested bacterial strains, however, propolis was characterized by the highest antibacterial activity. Conclusions. The obtained results indicate that among the tested bee products (honey, propolis and pollen), the highest antioxidant and antibacterial activity showed propolis. The high biological activity of propolis is associated with the high content of phenolic compounds.

Possible antithrombotic properties of propolis

The formation of thrombi in blood vessels results in thrombosis that is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality because it is associated with arterial diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke and peripheral occlusive disease in addition to venous thromboembolic disorders. Pharmaceutical agents such as anticoagulant agents and antiplatelet agents are applied at the prevention of the recurrence of thrombotic disorders. However, the use of these pharmaceuticals can result in side effects such as bleeding, as well as renal and hepatic disorders. The prevention and treatment of diseases using functional foods and alternative medicines has recently attracted attention. Functional foods and alternative medicines with possible antithrombotic properties that have been used for many years are now receiving significant focus in terms of the treatment and prevention of thrombosis. Because they have already been used for so long, they are likely to be safe. Propolis is a hive product comprising resinous materials collected by bees from plants and it includes various chemical compounds. Various biological activities of propolis have been indicated and propolis is used as folk medicine and health supplement worldwide. This report reviews the possibility of using propolis as an antithrombotic agent.

The Phenolic Compounds, Metabolites, and Antioxidant Activity of Propolis Extracted by Ultrasound-Assisted Method.

The influences of ultrasound-assisted, pharmacopeia, and supercritical fluid extraction methods on bioactive compounds and biological activities of propolis were evaluated. Results showed that propolis extracted by ultrasound-assisted method contained more phenolic compounds, and showed the highest total phenolic content (245.84±6.41mg GAE/g DW), total flavonoids content (198.82±5.74mg RE/g DW), and stronger in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH·: 1.03±0.04mmol Trolox/g DW, ABTS+·: 2.19±0.05mmol Trolox/g DW, and FRAP: 1.48±0.12mmol FeSO4 /g DW) than those of pharmacopoeia and supercritical fluid methods. A total of 36 phenolic compounds were identified in propolis. Among them, quercetin, quercetin-3-methyl-ether, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, luteolin-methyl-ether, and quercetin-7-methyl-ether could only be found in ultrasound-assisted and pharmacopoeia methods. Moreover, the phenolic compounds had the similar metabolic pathways in rats and were mainly metabolized by sulfation and glucuronidation pathways. Additionally, ultrasonic-treated propolis have good in vivo antioxidant activity and could repair D-galactose-induced oxidative damage in rats. Therefore, ultrasound-assisted method could replace pharmacopeia method to be considered as bioactive compounds extraction from propolis, taking into consideration of yield, short extraction time, and high antioxidant activity.

A Great Concern Regarding the Authenticity Identification and Quality Control of Chinese Propolis and Brazilian Green Propolis

Propolis (bee glue) is a natural resin mixture produced by honey bees and it is composed of substances collected from parts of plants, buds and exudates. The composition of propolis varies primary on the geographical locations of the ingredients obtained by the bees. A series of biological properties of propolis including anti-microbial, immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidation activities have been reported in relation to their chemical composition, plant origin and geographical area. This review collates the scientific literature regarding Chinese propolis and Brazilian green propolis, specifically focusing on their different constituents and biological activities. While there are known differences in composition of these two kinds of propolis, they share considerable similarity in their overall chemical composition. Importantly, techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and fingerprint are viable options for authenticity identification and quality control of propolis. Many of the molecular mechanisms driving various biological activities of propolis have been determined. We have also found that the biological activity of propolis mainly depends on its constituents, such as flavonoids or phenolic compounds. Each activity is regulated by a variety of biological pathways. The compounds in both Chinese propolis and Brazilian green propolis were found to participate in different biological pathways through distinct molecular mechanisms due to their diverse chemical compositions and unique structures. With the growing market interest of Brazilian green propolis in China, an evaluation between the chemical diversity and biological activity of Chinese propolis and Brazilian green propolis are in need of a review.

Pharmacological potentials of Propolis in urban landscapes

Propolis is a resinous material produced by bees from the selective collection of plant exudates that are subsequently mixed with bee’s wax and salivary bee secretions. Propolis has been used in folk medicine, and certainly, several studies have validated its biological properties. The chemical composition and pharmacological activities of Propolis collected around urban land scape of Bangalore and have been studied in 2018-2019, There are remarkable differences in the biological activities of Propolis from dissimilar geographical origin, and those mainly depend on the qualitative and quantitative variations of its characteristic chemical constituents, which are provided by botanical sources. Herein, we investigated pharmacological potentials Propolis in urban landscapes.

Chemical Diversity and Biological Activity of African Propolis.

Natural remedies have for centuries played a significant role in traditional medicine and continue to be a unique reservoir of new chemical entities in drug discovery and development research. Propolis is a natural substance, collected by bees mainly from plant resins, which has a long history of use as a folk remedy to treat a variety of ailments. The highly variable phytochemical composition of propolis is attributed to differences in plant diversity within the geographic regions from which it is collected. Despite the fact that the last five decades has seen significant advancements in the understanding of the chemistry and biological activity of propolis, a search of the literature has revealed that studies on African propolis to date are rather limited. The aim of this contribution is to report on the current body of knowledge of African propolis, with a particular emphasis on its chemistry and biological activity. As Africa is a continent with a rich flora and a vast diversity of ecosystems, there is a wide range of propolis phytochemicals that may be exploited in the development of new drug scaffolds.

Composition and functional properties of propolis (bee glue): A review.

Propolis is a natural substance collected by honey bees from various plants such as, poplar, palm, pine, conifer secretions, gums, resins, mucilage and leaf buds. It is collected and brought very painstakingly by honey bees to be used for sealing cracks and crevices occurring in their hives. Originally, it as an antiseptic meant for preventing bee-hive from microbial infections along with preventing decomposition of intruders. Additionally, propolis has been used in folk medicine for centuries. The biological characteristics of propolis depend upon its chemical composition, plant sources, geographical zone and seasons. More than 300 compounds have been identified in propolis such as, phenolic compounds, aromatic acids, essential oils, waxes and amino acids. Many scientific articles are published every year in different international journals, and several groups of researchers have focused their attention on the chemical compounds and biological activity of propolis.

Recent Advances in Role of Propolis as Natural Additive in Poultry Nutrition

Abstract Propolis is a natural resinous mixture produced by honey bees from substances collected from parts of plants, buds and exudates. Due to its waxy nature and mechanical properties, bees use propolis in the construction and repair of their hives for sealing openings and cracks and smoothing out the internal walls and as a protective barrier against external invaders and weathering threats. Bees gather propolis from different plants, in the temperate climate zone mainly from poplar. About 300 compounds such as polyphenols, phenolic aldehydes, sequiterpene quinines, coumarins, amino acids, steroids and inorganic compounds have been identified in propolis samples. Several scientific studies have been focused on the biological activities of propolis and its functions as a health supplement in humans. It could have akin function in poultry. This review is focused on the current findings relating to chemical composition, as an antioxidant, on performance, immunity, intestinal flora and haematological parameter in domesticated poultry species (broiler chickens, laying hens, quail and duck).

Characteristics, chemical compositions and biological activities of propolis from Al-Bahah, Saudi Arabia

Propolis has been used to treat several diseases since ancient times, and is an important source of bioactive natural compounds and drug derivatives. These properties have kept the interest of investigators around the world, leading to the investigation of the chemical and biological properties and application of propolis. In this report, the chemical constituents that are responsible for the anticancer activities of propolis were analyzed. The propolis was sourced from Al-Baha in the southern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Standard protocols for chemical fractionation and bioactivity-guided chemical analysis were used to identify the bio-active ethyl acetate fraction. The extraction was performed in methanol and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major compounds are triterpenoids, with a relative concentration of 74.0%; steroids, with a relative concentration of 9.8%; and diterpenoids, with a relative concentration of 7.9%. The biological activity was characterized using different approaches and cell-based assays. Propolis was found to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner through apoptosis. Immunofluorescence staining with anti-α-tubulin antibodies and cell cycle analysis indicated that tubulin and/or microtubules are the cellular targets of the L-acetate fraction. This study demonstrates the importance of Saudi propolis as anti-cancer drug candidates.

PROPOLIS AS A NATURAL FEED ADDITIVE IN RUMINANT DIETS; CAN PROPOLIS AFFECT THE RUMINANTS PERFORMANCE?: A REVIEW

Propolis is a resinous substance collected by honeybees from buds and leaves of trees and plants, mixing with pollen as well as enzymes secreted by bees. Propolis is known to be active against gram positive bacteria, viruses, fungi, oxidants, inflammation, tumors, and parasites thus recently it have been considered among the natural feed alternative to antibiotics in ruminant diets. Propolis extracts were found to have a promising effect on decreasing energy lost as methane and total N losses, the most significant inefficiencies remaining in ruminant production systems that may limit production performance and contribute to the release of pollutants to the environment. However, these effects are divers among propolis types. In vitro, however alamo and green propolis were extracted with the same method, but alamo propolis presented a higher efficiency to reduce methane production than the green one and both of them had no effect on ammonia concentrations, gas production and ruminal degradability. Red and brown propolis extracted similarly had very different compositions and seemed to act in a similar way in modifying the ruminal degradation of nutrients and mitigating methane formation. In vivo studies involving ruminant metabolism, divers' effects of different propolis samples have been found on the total digestibility, ruminal digestibility, intestinal digestibility. However, similar effects were observed with the different propolis studies on reducing ammonia production and the number of ruminal ciliate protozoa in buffaloes and dairy cows, as well as in in viro trails. The inhibitory activity of different propolis samples were observed on both mature and immature hepatic worms, and intestinal eggs. Red propolis had good impact on general ewe health during critical periods such as flushing and found to have high efficacy against the gastro intestinal helminthiasis. Similar findings in growth performance in a study on feedlot lambs fed a diet supplemented with brown propolis, but the green propolis was not efficient. Often, in most studies, the type or the chemical composition of the propolis is not even specified in publications. The biological activity of propolis may vary, together with its chemical composition, as it comprises numerous constituents together with the method of extraction and concentrations of the solvent and propolis. Thus in order to ensure the propolis quality as feed additive and to be officially accepted by major health agencies, propolis requires a chemical standardization and identify the active component(s) of propolis and subsequently analyze these in commercial batches.

TLC Fingerprinting and Pattern Recognition Methods in the Assessment of Authenticity of Poplar-Type Propolis.

Propolis is a "natural" remedy with prominent biological activity, which is used as dietary supplement. In the absence of clinical studies that would substantiate these claims, information on the biological activity of propolis is valuable. This study comprises chromatographic, image processing and chemometric approach for phenolic profiling of Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian propolis test solutions. Modern thin-layer chromatography equipment in combination with software for image processing was applied for fingerprinting and data acquisition, whereas the principal component analysis was used as pattern recognition method. Characterization of phenolic profile was performed along with the determination of the botanical and geographical origin of propolis. High-performance thin-layer chromatograms reveal that Central and Southeastern European propolis samples are rich in flavonoids. In addition, phenolic compounds proved to be suitable markers for the determination of European propolis authenticity.