Most readers are little aware of the nature and use of propolis as used
by bees. The bees take advantage of its antibacterial, antiviral and
antifungal properties in protecting the colony against disease. Indeed,
propolis has been shown to kill Paenibacillus larvae, the most impor-
tant bacterial disease of bees. At least 180 different compounds have
been identified so far in propolis:
Resins - Flavonoids, phenolic acids and esters 45-55%
Waxes and fatty acids 23-35%
Essential oils (volatiles): 10%, Pollen (proteins) 5%, Other
organics and minerals 5%.
The chemical constitution of propolis is highly variable due to the
wide range of plants visited by bees. This variability is the subject of research. Research now is trying to connect a particular propolis
type to a specific type of biological activity. In this respect, s study
of propolis is of immense value. As the most important chemical
weapon used by bees against pathogenic microorganisms, propolis
has been used as remedy since ancient times by humans.
In temperate zones all over the world, the main source of propolis
os the poplar, mainly the black poplar Populus nigra. For this
reason, propolis from tropical zones where the poplar cannot sur-
vive have a different chemical composition and comprehensive
studies of Brazilian propolis have confirmed this, with the source
being a leaf resin. Recently Cuban propolis has caught the
attention of researchers and again this differs from both European
and Brazilian propolis. Propolis is infinitely variable. It is this
problem of standardisation that is now driving much of the use-ful
research, and comparative studies are espe4cially valuable if we
are to progress our knowledge of applications in therapy.
Studies of this kind will enable scientists to relate a particular
type of propolis to a specific type of biological activity and so
formulate recommendations for practitioners.
The future of propolis in apitherapy is huge.
Source: Api8s-UK May 2005.