Propolis

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Propolis is a resinous mixture that bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Propolis is used for small gaps (approximately 6.35 millimeters (0.3 in) or less), while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax. Its color varies depending on its botanical source, the most common being dark brown. Propolis is sticky at and above room temperature. At lower temperatures it becomes hard and very brittle.

For centuries, beekeepers assumed [1]that bees sealed the beehive with propolis to protect the colony from the elements, such as rain and cold winter drafts. However, 20th century research has revealed that bees not only survive, but also thrive, with increased ventilation during the winter months throughout most temperate regions of the world.

propolis as hive sealing
propolis as hive sealing

Propolis is now believed to:

  1. reinforce the structural stability of the hive
  2. reduce vibration
  3. make the hive more defensible by sealing alternate entrances
  4. prevent diseases and parasites from entering the hive
  5. prevent putrefaction within the hive. Bees usually carry waste out of and away from the hive. However if a small lizard or mouse, for example, found its way into the hive and died there, bees may be unable to carry it out through the hive entrance. In that case, they would attempt instead to seal the carcass in propolis, essentially mummifying it and making it odorless and harmless.
resins in hive
resins in hive

Contents

[edit] Composition

The composition of propolis will vary from hive to hive, district to district, and from season to season. Normally it is dark brown in color, but it can be found in green, red, black and white hues, depending on the sources of resin found in the particular hive area. Honey bees are opportunists, and will gather what they need from available sources, and detailed analyses show that propolis chemical composition varies considerably from region to region, along with the vegetation. In northern temperate climates, for example, bees collect resins from trees, such as poplars and conifers (the biological role of resin in trees is to seal wounds and defend against bacteria, fungi and insects). Poplar resin is rich in flavanoids. "Typical" northern temperate propolis has approximately 50 constituents, primarily resins and vegetable balsams (50%), waxes (30%), essential oils (10%), and pollen (5%). In neotropical regions, in additional to a large variety of trees, bees may also gather resin from flowers in the genera Clusia and Dalechampia, which are the only known plant genera that produce floral resins to attract pollinators[2]. Clusia resin contains polyprenylated benzophenones.[3][4][5] In some areas of Chile, propolis contains viscidone, a terpene from Baccharis shrubs[6], and in Brazil, naphthoquinone epoxide has recently isolated from red propolis[7], and prenylated acids such as 4-hydroxy-3,5-diprenyl cinnamic acid have been documented[8]. An analysis of propolis from Henan, China found sinapic acid, isoferulic acid, caffeic acid and chrysin, with the first three compounds demonstrating anti-bacterial properties[9]. Occasionally worker bees will even gather various caulking compounds of human manufacture, when the usual sources are more difficult to obtain. The properties of the propolis depend on the exact sources used by each individual hive, therefore any potential medicinal properties that may be present in one hive's propolis may be absent from another's, and the distributors of propolis products cannot control such factors. This may account for the many and varied claims regarding medicinal properties, and the difficulty in replicating previous scientific studies investigating these claims. Even propolis samples taken from within a single colony can vary, making controlled clinical tests difficult, and the results of any given study cannot be reliably extrapolated to propolis samples from other areas.

[edit] Uses

[edit] Medicinal use

Propolis is marketed by health food stores as a traditional medicine, and for its claimed beneficial effect on human health. Natural medicine practitioners often use propolis for the relief of various conditions, including inflammations, viral diseases, ulcers, superficial burns or scalds. Propolis is also believed to promote heart health and reduce the chances of cataracts[10]. Old beekeepers recommend a piece of propolis kept in the mouth as a remedy for a sore throat. Propolis lozenges can be bought in Australia, Republic of Korea, and France. Though claims have been made for its use in treating allergies, propolis may cause severe allergic reactions if the user is sensitive to bees or bee products[11].

Some of these claims are being clinically investigated and several studies are published in the biomedical literature. Since the chemical composition of propolis varies depending on season, bee species and geographic location, caution must be applied in extrapolating results (above). Depending upon its composition, propolis may show powerful local antibiotic and antifungal properties,[12] and studies indicate that it may be effective in treating skin burns.[13][14][15] Propolis also exhibits immunomodulatory effects [16][17] and is a subject of recent dentistry research, since there is some evidence that propolis may actively protect against caries and other forms of oral disease, due to its antimicrobial properties.[18][19][20][21] Propolis can also be used to treat canker sores[22], and its use in canal debridement for endodontic procedures has been explored in Brazil.[23]

[edit] Other uses

Italian varnish
Italian varnish

Propolis is used by certain music instrument makers to enhance the appearance of the wood grain. It is a component of Italian varnish and was reportedly used [24] by Stradivari.

[edit] See also

Look up propolis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  • Discussion of bee space in the beehive article.

[edit] References

  1. ^ R Krell 1996. value-added products from beekeeping FAO AGRICULTURAL SERVICES BULLETIN No. 124 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome
  2. ^ Mesquita, R. C. G.; Franciscon C. H. (June 1995). "Flower visitors of Clusia nemorosa G. F. W. Meyer (Clusiaceae) in an Amazonian white-sand Campina". Biotropica 27 (2): 254–8. 
  3. ^ Tomás-Barberán, F. A.; García-Viguera C., Vit-Oliviera P., Ferreres F., Tomás-Lorente F. (1993-08-03). "Phytochemical evidence for the botanical origin of tropical propolis from Venezuela". Phytochemistry 34 (1): 191-6. 
  4. ^ Scott Armbruster, W. (September 1984). "The Role of Resin in Angiosperm Pollination: Ecological and Chemical Considerations". American Journal of Botany 71 (8): 1149-60. 
  5. ^ Bankova, V. (February 2005). "Recent trends and important developments in propolis research". Evidence-based Compl. and Alt. Medicine 2 (1): 29-32. 
  6. ^ Montenegro G, et al. 2004. Similitude pattern and botanical origin of the Chilean propolis. Phyton 145-154
  7. ^ Trusheva, Boryana; Popova, Milena; Bankova, Vassya; Simova, Svetlana; Marcucci, Maria Cristina; Miorin, Patricia Laguna; Pasin, Flavia da Rocha & Tsvetkova, Iva (2006): Bioactive Constituents of Brazilian Red Propolis. doi:10.1093/ecam/nel006 Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 3(2): 249–254
  8. ^ Park YK, Alencar SM, Aguiar CL. 2005. Botanical origin and chemical composition of Brazilian propolis. J. Agric. Food Chem. 50:2502–2506
  9. ^ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1804186&dopt=Abstract Isolation and identification of antibiotic constituents of propolis from Henan
  10. ^ Orhan, H.; Marol S., Hepşen I. F., Sahin G. (1999-12-06). "Effects of some probable antioxidants on selenite-induced cataract formation and oxidative stress-related parameters in rats". Toxicology 139 (3): 219-32. 
  11. ^ Brovko, T. E.; Kravchuk P. A. (July-August 1970). "Two cases of allergic reaction after administration of propolis drugs". Zh Ushn Nos Gorl Bolezn 30 (4): 102-3. 
  12. ^ Orsi, R. O.; Sforcin J. M., Rall V. L. M., Funari S. R. C., Barbosa L., Fernandes JR A. (2005). "Susceptibility profile of Salmonella against the antibacterial activity of propolis produced in two regions of Brazil". Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases 11 (2): 109-16. 
  13. ^ Gregory, S. R.; Piccolo N., Piccolo M. T., Piccolo M. S., Heggers J. P. (February 2002). "Abstract Comparison of propolis skin cream to silver sulfadiazine: a naturopathic alternative to antibiotics in treatment of minor burns". J Altern Complement Med. 8 (1): 77-83. 
  14. ^ Hoşnuter, M.; Gürel A., Babucçu O., Armutcu F., Kargi E., Işikdemir A. (March 2004). "The effect of CAPE on lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide levels in the plasma of rats following thermal injury". Burns 30 (2): 121-5. 
  15. ^ Ocakci, A.; Kanter M., Cabuk M., Buyukbas S. (October 2006). "Role of caffeic acid phenethyl ester, an active component of propolis, against NAOH-induced esophageal burns in rats". Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 70 (10): 1731-9. 
  16. ^ Brätter, C.; Tregel M., Liebenthal C., Volk H. D. (October 1999). "Prophylactic effectiveness of propolis for immunostimulation: a clinical pilot study". Forsch Komplementarmed. 6 (5): 256-60. 
  17. ^ Ansorge, S.; Reinhold D., Lendeckel U. (July-August 2003). "Propolis and some of its constituents down-regulate DNA synthesis and inflammatory cytokine production but induce TGF-beta1 production of human immune cells". Z Naturforsch [C]. 58 (7-8): 580-9. 
  18. ^ Botushanov, P. I.; Grigorov G. I., Aleksandrov G. A. (2001). "A clinical study of a silicate toothpaste with extract from propolis". Folia Med (Plovdiv) 43 (1-2): 28-30. 
  19. ^ Koo, H.; Cury J. A., Rosalen P. L., Ambrosano G. M., Ikegaki M., Park Y. K. (November-December 2002). "Effect of a mouthrinse containing selected propolis on 3-day dental plaque accumulation and polysaccharide formation". Caries Research 36 (6): 445-8. 
  20. ^ Duarte, S.; Rosalen P. L., Hayacibara M. F., Cury J. A., Bowen W. H., Marquis R. E., Rehder V. L., Sartoratto A., Ikegaki M., Koo H. (January 2006). "The influence of a novel propolis on mutans streptococci biofilms and caries development in rats". Arch Oral Biol. 51 (1): 15-22. 
  21. ^ Park, Y. K.; Koo M. H., Abreu J. A., Ikegaki M., Cury J. A., Rosalen P. L. (January 1998). "Antimicrobial activity of propolis on oral microorganisms". Curr Microbiol. 36 (1): 24-8. 
  22. ^ Samet, N.; Laurent C., Susarla S. M., Samet-Rubinsteen N. (June 2007). "The effect of bee propolis on recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a pilot study". Clin Oral Investig. 11 (2): 143-7. 
  23. ^ da Silva, F. B.; Almeida J. M., Sousa S. M. (April-June 2004). "Natural medicaments in endodontics - a comparative study of the anti-inflammatory action". Braz Oral Res. 18 (2): 174-9. 
  24. ^ Gambichler T, Boms S and M Freitag 2004 Contact dermatitis and other skin conditions in instrumentalmusicians. BMC Dermatology 2004, 4:3

[edit] External links