Seasonal effect of Brazilian propolis on seric biochemical variables

Co-administration of 5FU and propolis on AOM/DSS induced colorectal cancer in BALB-c mice

AIMS

Currently, the main problems with chemotherapy are its side effects, toxicity, and drug resistance. Propolis has biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. This study aims to examine the combined effects of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and propolis on colorectal cancer (CRC) in mouse models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The chemical composition of ethanolic extract of propolis was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In this study, 49 male Balb/c mice (16-20 g) were divided in seven groups as a control group and experimental groups (treated and untreated CRC model [azoxymethane + dextran sodium sulfate]). This study was conducted in 8 weeks. To examine the anti-cancer effects of propolis, the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) was counted and the pathological lesions in the distal colonic epithelial tissue were diagnosed. In this study, the expression of beta-catenin (β-catenin), induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) proteins, which play a major role in the incidence and progression of cancer, were determined.

KEY FINDINGS

GC-MS analysis of propolis showed the presence of hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, terpenes, phenols, and flavonoids. Administering propolis in combination with 5FU reduced the number of ACFs and pathological lesions in comparison with cancer control groups (p < 0.0001) and 5FU-alone treatment (p < 0.05). The propolis combined with 5FU reduced the expression of Cox-2, iNOS, and β-catenin proteins.

SIGNIFICANCE

The results showed that propolis increased the efficiency of 5FU and could be taken into account as the adjunct therapy for colorectal cancer.

Synergistic potential of propolis and vitamin e against sub-acute toxicity of AlCl(3) in albino mice: in vivo study

Current study evaluated the synergistic potential of propolis and vitamin E against sub-acute toxicity of aluminum chloride on different biochemical parameters and liver histology. Swiss albino mice (n=42) were randomly divided into seven groups. Group I received 0.2 ml of 0.9 % saline solution, Group II received Propolis (50 mg/kg b.w.), Group III received vitamin E (150 mg/kg b.w.), Group IV received AlCl(3) 50 mg/kg b.w., Group V received AlCl(3) + Propolis, Group VI received AlCl(3) + vitamin E and Group VII received AlCl(3) + propolis + vitamin E. Blood and tissue samples were collected after 7 and 21 days. The body weight of the animals significantly increased in all groups except Group IV. The concentration of serum high density lipoprotein significantly decreased in Group IV and increased in Group V, VI and VII. The level of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein significantly increased in AlCl(3) treated group and increased in Group V, VI and VII. Tissue sections were processed and stained by hematoxylin and eosin. Group II showed cellular necrosis. Group V, VI showed decreased number of vacuolization, sinusoidal spacing and macrophage cell infiltration. Group VI showed less degenerative changes in the third week. Vitamin E and propolis in combination with Al provides more protection against AlCl(3) induced toxicity.

Metabolic Profiling and Classification of Propolis Samples from Southern Brazil: An NMR-Based Platform Coupled with Machine Learning

The chemical composition of propolis is affected by environmental factors and harvest season, making it difficult to standardize its extracts for medicinal usage. By detecting a typical chemical profile associated with propolis from a specific production region or season, certain types of propolis may be used to obtain a specific pharmacological activity. In this study, propolis from three agroecological regions (plain, plateau, and highlands) from southern Brazil, collected over the four seasons of 2010, were investigated through a novel NMR-based metabolomics data analysis workflow. Chemometrics and machine learning algorithms (PLS-DA and RF), including methods to estimate variable importance in classification, were used in this study. The machine learning and feature selection methods permitted construction of models for propolis sample classification with high accuracy (>75%, reaching ∼90% in the best case), better discriminating samples regarding their collection seasons comparatively to the harvest regions. PLS-DA and RF allowed the identification of biomarkers for sample discrimination, expanding the set of discriminating features and adding relevant information for the identification of the class-determining metabolites. The NMR-based metabolomics analytical platform, coupled to bioinformatic tools, allowed characterization and classification of Brazilian propolis samples regarding the metabolite signature of important compounds, i.e., chemical fingerprint, harvest seasons, and production regions.

Productive and reproductive performance of rabbits does as affected by bee pollen and/or propolis, inulin and/or mannan-oligosaccharides

<p>The aim of the paper was to compare the effect of prebiotics (inulin and/or mannan-oligosaccharides, MOS) and bee products (bee pollen and/or propolis) on productive and reproductive performance of rabbit does. Seventy nulliparous V-line female rabbits were distributed among 7 groups. The groups were fed the same diet and received no supplements (control group), natural molecules (bee pollen and/or propolis) at 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) or prebiotics (inulin and/or MOS) at 35 mg/kg BW. Productive, reproductive, biochemical and haematological traits were investigated. Bee pollen with propolis significantly increased body weight gain of does 1 wk after mating (3.53%), decreased feed intake (4.49%) and caused larger litter size (39.4%), heavier body weight of litter (17.7%), a greater number of kits born alive (48.7%), higher weight of kits (87.81%) at 28 d of age, higher milk yield (43.6%) and more favourable milk conversion ratio (31.6%). Moreover, bee pollen with propolis had significantly increased plasma total protein (43.1%), albumin (45.7%), globulin (41.0) and progesterone (60.5%), and had a significantly decreased plasma cholesterol (31.1%), aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio (20.3%) compared to the control group. Does treated with growth promoters had significantly fewer services per conception (22%) and greater fertility rate (21%) compared to the control group. Inulin with or without MOS significantly increased plasma glucose (49.9 and 50%, respectively) and feed cost (90.2%) compared to the control group. Supplementation of MOS or bee pollen with or without propolis had significantly greater relative economic efficiency (61.9, 55.1 and 27.1%, respectively) than the control group. MOS and bee pollen with or without propolis are able to improve productive and reproductive performance and economic efficiency of rabbit does in comparison to the unsupplemented group.</p>

Antioxidant and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Properties and Chemical Profiles of Moroccan Propolis

The chemical profiles of propolis hydroalcoholic extracts from different regions of Morocco were studied by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after silylation. Samples from Khamissat and Imouzzer belong to the poplar type, as typical poplar flavonoids predominated. Propolis from Rabat also contained high percentage of flavonoids, but had significantly lower amount of phenolic acid esters and contained no pinobanksin-3- O-acetate. Propolis from Bhalil demonstrated a profile rich in diterpenes (74.3%), and is a typical Mediterranean propolis sample. All samples had the capacity for inhibiting glucosidase and amylase enzymes, as well as the capacity for scavenging free radicals and preventing lipid peroxidation. Both activities were significantly higher in the flavonoids-rich samples.

Action of Brazilian propolis on hematological and serum biochemical parameters of Blue-fronted Amazons (Amazona aestiva, Linnaeus, 1758) in captivity

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of propolis use on hematological and serum biochemical parameters in Blue-fronted Amazons (Amazona aestiva). For this, 12 adult birds were distributed randomly into individual cages, divided into treatments with different propolis levels (A = 0.0%; B = 0.5%; and C = 1.0%), in 3 distinct phases (I, II, and III), with 15-d duration for phases I and III and 30 d for phase II, totaling 60 d. In phases I and III, all birds received treatment A ration, and in phase II received A, B, or C (4 birds per treatment). At the end of each phase, blood was collected for biochemical and hematological evaluations. The variables were analyzed by ANOVA (P < 0.05). Results suggest that 0.5% propolis reduced lactate dehydrogenase levels, whereas treatment B augmented hemoglobin concentrations and eosinophil count. It is concluded that 0.5% propolis improves levels of lactate dehydrogenase, hemoglobin, and eosinophils.

Propolis: a wonder bees product and its pharmacological potentials

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 like snakes, lizards, and so forth, or against weathering threats like wind and rain. Bees gather propolis from different plants, in the temperate climate zone mainly from poplar. Current antimicrobial applications of propolis include formulations for cold syndrome (upper respiratory tract infections, common cold, and flu-like infections), wound healing, treatment of burns, acne, herpes simplex and genitalis, and neurodermatitis. Worldwide propolis has a tremendous popularity, but in India the studies over propolis have just started, not extensively reported except few regions of India like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujrat, and Madhya Pradesh.

Positive influence of a natural product as propolis on antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in senescent rats

Given the importance of oxidative stress associated to aging, it would be interesting to assess the effect of oral supplementation with antioxidant substances capable of diminishing oxidative aggression and free radicals generation associated to this condition. This study investigated the effects of AIN-93 M diet supplemented either with 2 % of propolis, or with 4 % of a natural product obtained from lyophilizate vegetables, selected by its antioxidant properties, in senescent healthy Wistar rats fed ad libitum over 3 months. Propolis supplementation leads to a lower level of glucose and cholesterol concentrations together with a reduction in protein oxidation. Plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance levels were lower in the rats consuming the natural vegetable product and propolis possibly due to its antioxidant components, neutralizing the free radical produced, and thus preventing cellular damage. The results of the present study suggest a synergic effect of overall propolis compounds reducing the oxidative stress and glucose and cholesterol plasma levels associated with aging.

Brazilian green propolis compared to miconazole gel in the treatment of Candida-associated denture stomatitis

Aim. To evaluate the efficacy of Brazilian green propolis in comparison to miconazole gel in the treatment of Candida-associated denture stomatitis. Methods. Forty-five denture stomatitis patients, with palatal mucosa erythema levels classified according to Newtons's criteria and with positive culture to Candida spp., were randomly divided into three treatment groups: 15 received miconazole gel 2%, 15 received propolis gel 2,5%, and 15 received propolis 24% for mouthwash. After four daily use lasting two weeks, they were reexamined for the denture stomatitis degree and for a second culture of Candida. The Wilcoxon's test was applied to compare the results of clinical classification of the denture stomatitis and the Candida spp. colonies numbers, before and after each treatment. The Kruskall-Wallis's test was used to compare efficacy among the three treatment groups. Results. There were a significant reduction or complete remission of denture stomatitis (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease of Candida colonies for the three groups (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the efficacy among the treatment groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Brazilian green propolis has a similar effect as miconazole in the treatment of Candida-associated denture stomatitis being an alternative in the therapeutics of this condition.

The use of propolis as vaccine's adjuvant

The success of many vaccines relies on their association with selected adjuvants in order to increase their immunogenicity and ensure long-term protection. All available adjuvants have adverse effects due to their toxicity and reactogenicity. Pre-clinical in vivo investigations can identify new natural products for further applications. Several studies have confirmed the different medicinal benefits of propolis. However the studies that addressed its use as a potent, safe, vaccine adjuvant were limited to specific countries and languages, primarily Chinese. Those studies introduced the use of different extracts and formulations of propolis as adjuvants for bacterial, viral, and parasitic vaccines. This comprehensive up-to-date review categorizes, documents, and discusses those trials in a clear chronological manner.

Cytotoxic constituents of propolis inducing anticancer effects: a review

Objectives

Propolis is a honeybee product used extensively in traditional medicine for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anticancer effects. Propolis exhibits a broad spectrum of biological activities because it is a complex mixture of natural substances. In this review, the antitumour effects of propolis extracts and its constituents (e.g. flavonoids, terpenes and caffeic acid phenethyl ester) are discussed.

Key findings

The effect of propolis on experimental carcinogenesis is discussed, as well as its possible mechanisms of action against tumours, involving apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and interference on metabolic pathways. Propolis seems to be efficient against different tumour cells both in vitro and in vivo, which suggests its potential in the development of new anticancer drugs.

Summary

Propolis extracts may be important economically and would allow a relatively inexpensive cancer treatment. Preclinical investigations are needed to further elucidate the benefits of propolis and its antitumour properties.

Long-term effects of propolis on serum biochemical parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Long-term effects of propolis administration on serum biochemical parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were investigated. To determine the possible toxicity and side effects of propolis, fish were fed on diets containing 0, 0.5, 1.5, 4.5 and 9 g propolis/kg diet for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, various seric biochemical parameters were determined. Our results showed that all dosages induced no significant alterations in growth parameters and the seric levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides and activities of glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase, when compared to the control group. On the basis of our findings, propolis is a non-toxic substance for rainbow trout and its long-term administration might not have any side effects.

Propolis: is there a potential for the development of new drugs?

INTRODUCTION

Propolis has plenty of biological and pharmacological properties and its mechanisms of action have been widely investigated in the last years, using different experimental models in vitro and in vivo. Researchers have been interested in the investigation of isolated compounds responsible for propolis action; however, there is lack of clinical research on the effects of propolis.

STRATEGY AND OBJECTIVES

Since propolis-containing products have been marketed and humans have used propolis for different purposes, the goal of this review is to discuss the potential of propolis for the development of new drugs, by comparing data from the literature that suggest candidate areas for the establishment of drugs against tumors, infections, allergy, diabetes, ulcers and with immunomodulatory action.

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy of propolis in different protocols in vitro and in vivo suggests its therapeutic properties, but before establishing a strategy using this bee product, it is necessary to study: (a) the chemical nature of the propolis sample. (b) Propolis efficacy should be compared to well-established parameters, e.g. positive or negative controls in the experiments. Moreover, possible interactions between propolis and other medicines should be investigated in humans as well. (c) Clinical investigation is needed to evaluate propolis potential in patients or healthy individuals, to understand under which conditions propolis may promote health. Data point out the importance of this research field not only for the readers and researchers in the scientific community waiting for further clarification on the potential of propolis but also for the pharmaceutical industry that looks for new drugs.

Ação terapêutica da própolis em lesões cutâneas

Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura que teve como objetivo analisar os estudos que abordam o uso terapêutico da própolis em lesões cutâneas. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de busca nas bases de dados LILACS, MEDLINE, e BDENF, abrangendo o período de 1980 a 2007, nos idiomas português, inglês e espanhol. Identificaram-se 1127 artigos, dos quais 38 atenderam aos critérios de inclusão deste estudo. Destes artigos, 7 (18,4%) eram estudos clínicos e 31 (81,6%) experimentais "in vitro" e em animais. Quanto à abordagem, foram classificados em dois focos temáticos: atuação terapêutica da própolis na cicatrização das lesões e ação antimicrobiana da própolis. A análise dos trabalhos destacou a eficácia da própolis no tratamento de feridas, atuando como agente cicatrizante e antimicrobiano natural, cujas propriedades dependem diretamente da forma e local de extração e concentração do produto.

Propolis and the immune system: a review

Propolis has been used empirically for centuries and it was always mentioned as an immunomodulatory agent. In recent years, in vitro and in vivo assays provided new information concerning its mechanisms of action, thus a review dealing with propolis and the immune system became imperative. This review compiles data from our laboratory as well as from other researchers, focusing on its chemical composition and botanical sources, the seasonal effect on its composition and biological properties, its immunomodulatory and antitumor properties, considering its effects on antibody production and on different cells of the immune system, involving the innate and adaptive immune response. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated the modulatory action of propolis on murine peritoneal macrophages, increasing their microbicidal activity. Its stimulant action on the lytic activity of natural killer cells against tumor cells, and on antibody production was demonstrated. Propolis inhibitory effects on lymphoproliferation may be associated to its anti-inflammatory property. In immunological assays, the best results were observed when propolis was administered over a short-term to animals. Propolis antitumor property and its anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic potential are discussed. Since humans have used propolis for different purposes and propolis-containing products have been marketed, the knowledge of its properties with scientific basis is not only of academic interest but also of those who use propolis as well. This review opens a new perspective on the investigation of propolis biological properties, mainly with respect to the immune system.

Propolis: Effect of different concentrations, extracts and intake period on seric biochemical variables

Propolis is a resinous substance produced by honeybees that possesses many biological activities, such as antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory, among others. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biochemical profile of propolis-treated rats to observe whether propolis might lead to side effects after administration. Three different treatments were analyzed: (1) rats were treated with different concentrations of propolis (1, 3 and 6 mg/kg/day) during 30 days; (2) rats were treated with 1 mg/kg/day of ethanolic or water extracts of propolis (EEP, WEP) during 30 days; (3) rats were treated with 1 mg/kg/day of ethanolic extract of propolis during 90 and 150 days. Our results demonstrated no alterations in the seric levels of cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, total lipids, triglycerides and in the specific activity of aminotransferases (AST) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) of propolis-treated groups when compared to controls. On the basis of our findings, since propolis does not induce any significant change in seric parameters, it is claimed that long-term administration of propolis might not have any cardiac injury.

Effect of propolis, some isolated compounds and its source plant on antibody production

Propolis is a beehive product with a very complex chemical composition, widely used in folk medicine because of its several therapeutic activities. Its biological properties and chemical composition may vary according to the geographic location and to the different plant sources. The possible mechanism of action of propolis as well as of its active compounds has been the subject of researchers in recent years. In this work, first we reported the results of our study on the seasonal effect of the immunomodulatory action of propolis on antibody production in bovine serum albumin (BSA)-immunized rats. Then, we compared the effect of Brazilian and Bulgarian propolis, some isolated compounds and Baccharis extract on anti-BSA antibody levels. Based on the results, we conclude that propolis stimulates antibody production, independently of the season and geographic origin. Caffeic acid, quercetin and Baccharis extract had no effect on antibody production, although the importance of isolated compounds is well reported in other biological assays. Propolis action is a consequence of plant-derived products with synergic effects, while isolated compounds or extracts from its plant sources had no effect in this assay.