Welcome to Propolis : The Natural Antibiotic

Propolis can be said as Godsend gift to human...

For years we never stop creating new antibiotics...

But now, The Natural Antibiotic has come on the stage, providing many miraculous healing properties, let's explore together this new rediscovered natural antibiotic: Propolis...

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.

(source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propolis)

Propolis Research Summary

Bees create propolis by collecting a resinous sap from trees and then mixing it with wax back at the hive. They use this material much the way people use caulk: to seal their homes. Chemically, propolis is exceedingly complex and contains a rich variety of potent terpenes and benzoic, caffeic, cinnamic,and phenolic acids. It's also high in flavonoids, which by themselves may account for many of the benefits attributed to propolis-and some researchers refer to propolis as a type of flavonoid.


One of the most significant medical journal articles described how the caffeic acids in propolis and honey might prevent colon cancer, which kills some 60,000 Americans each year. Chinthalapally V. Rao, Ph.D., of the American health Foundation, Valhalla, N.Y., reported in Cancer Research (Sept.15,1993; 53:1482-88) that these caffeic acids prevented the formation of precancerous tissue in rats after they were exposed to cancer-causing chemicals.


Most medical articles, however, still point to the value of propolis as a powerful, natural antibiotic. That doesn't mean eating propolis will let you throw away your antibiotics - only that you may not need them quite as often.


Why would bees need substances with broad antibacterial and antiviral properties? Any beekeeper will tell you the answer. Bees are very susceptible to bacterial and viral infections, which can destroy hives the way the bubonic plague ravaged Europe in the 17th century.


Two medical journal articles document the activity of propolis specifically against Staphylococcus aureus, the bacterium that causes dangerous and often deadly surgical infections, blood poisoning, and a type of pneumonia. Five to 10 percent of all patients hospitalized in the United States develop such infections, and S. aureus has become resistant to all but one pharmaceutical antibiotic.


In a Chinese study, researchers found that extracts of propolis - specifically, sinapic, isoferulic, and caffeic acids - inhibited the growth of S. aureus (Qiao Z, China Journal of Chinese Materi Medica, Aug. 1991;16:481-2). A European study reported that ethanol extracts from propolis had a "marked synergistic effect" on the anti-staph activity of two antibiotics, streptomycin and cloxacillin, and a moderate effect on several others (Krol W, Arzneimittel-Forschung, May 1993;43:607-9).


Another scientific investigation discovered that propolis inhibited the activity of several streptococcal bacteria species that cause dental caries.Japanese researchers reported that propolis-fed laboratory fats had far fewer caries than those given a regular diet. Propolis protected specifically against Streptococcus mutans and several other strep species (Ikeno K, Caries research, 1991;25:347-51). These strep species are closely related to the germ that causes strep throat.


Propolis works against bacteria in several ways. One study reported that it prevented bacterial cell division and also broke down bacterial walls and cytoplasm, which is how some prescription antibiotics work (Takaisi-KikuniNB, Planta Medica, June 1994;60:222-7).


Perhaps more remarkable is that propolis acts against viruses, which antibiotics do not. A number of medical journal reports have discussed the role of propolisin fighting upper respiratory infections, such as those caused by the common cold and influenza viruses (Focht J, Arzneimittel-Forschung, Aug. 1993;43:921-3). Other investigators have reported that the cinnamic acid extracts of propolis prevent viruses from reproducing, but they worked best when used during the entire infection (Serkedjieva J, Journal of Natural Products, March 1992;55:294-302).


Underpinning many of the benefits of propolis is that some of its components,like the flavonoids and ethanols, function as antioxidant free-radical scavengers. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology (Jan. 1994;21:9-13)noted that some of the antioxidant phenols in propolis functioned similarly to vitamin E. In another article, researchers described that propolis had anti-inflammatory properties and that it could also prevent blood clots(Drugs Under Experimental & Clinical Research, 1993; 19:197-203).


Propolis consists mainly of specific tree resins collected by honeybees. Bees use propolis like putty to seal cracks and openings in the hive, strengthen combs and seal brood cells. Propolis also helps sterilize the hive--the resins protect both trees and bees from infections.11 Most research has been conducted on propolis from European and Eurasian forests, where the source trees are predominantly poplars but also beech, birch, chestnut and several conifer species.12


More than 180 compounds have been identified in propolis, and many are biologically active.11 Flavonoids are abundant, including apigenin, galangin, kaempferol, luteolin, pinocembrin, pinostrobin and quercitin, all of which are anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, antiallergenic, antioxidant and/or antimutagenic.13 Propolis is uniquely rich in the caffeic acid phenethyl ester, which in animal studies has inhibited cancer growth14 and reduced inflammation as effectively as drugs.15


Propolis also contains organic acids and their derivatives as well as terpenoids. These constituents contribute antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral effects.11,13,16-18


In cultures, propolis inhibits the growth of various viruses and fungi including herpes, influenza, rota, candida and aspergillus.16,19,20 Many bacteria are also affected, including Clostridium spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. Propolis is active against bacteria isolated from people with upper respiratory infections, including penicillin-resistant strains.21


Propolis potentiates pharmaceutical antibiotics, including streptomycin, penicillin, neomycin and tetracycline; the combined products act synergistically.21 For treating existing internal infections, propolis can be taken in conjunction with prescribed medications but not in place of them. For acute infections, customers can take four to eight 400­600-mg capsules daily for two weeks.


Propolis is also a superior ingredient in wound salves and may help heal stomach ulcers. One tablespoon raw honey with propolis three times daily during an ulcer flare-up can be helpful. In addition to being antimicrobial, propolis is anti-inflammatory and detoxifying, and it stimulates new tissue growth.18


References

  1. Markham KR, Campos M. 7- and 8-o-methylherbacetin-3-o- sophorosides from bee pollens and some structure/activity observations. Phytochemistry 1996;43:763-7.
  2. Buck AC, et al. Treatment of outflow tract obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia with the pollen extract Cernilton, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Br J Urol 1990;66:398-404.
  3. Furusawa E, et al. Antitumor potential of pollen extract on Lewis lung carcinoma implanted intraperitoneally in syngenic mice. Phytother Res 1995;9:255-9.
  4. Ceglecka M, et al. Effect of pollen extracts on prolonged poisoning of rats with organic solvents. Phytother Res 1991:5;245-9.
  5. Subrahmanyam M. Topical application of honey in treatment of burns. Br J Surg 1991;78:497-8.
  6. Al-Waili NS, Saloom KY. Effects of topical honey on post-operative wound infections due to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria following caesarean sections and hysterectomies. Eur J Med Res 1999;4:126-30.
  7. Molan PC. The antibacterial activity of honey, Part 1 and Part 2. Bee World 1992;73:5-76.
  8. Allen K, et al. A survey of the antibacterial activity of some New Zealand honeys. J Pharm Pharmacol 1991;43:817-22.
  9. Somal NA, et al. Susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to the antibacterial activity of manuka honey. J Royal Soc Med 1994;87:9-12.
  10. Frankel S, et al. Antioxidant capacity and correlated characteristics of 14 unifloral honeys. J Apic Res 1998;37:27-31.
  11. Burdock GA. Review of the biological properties of propolis and toxicity of bee propolis (propolis). Food Chem Toxicol 1998;36:347-63.
  12. Bankova VS, et al. Isopentyl cinnamates from poplar buds and propolis. Phytochemistry 1989;28:871-3.
  13. Duke JA, et al. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Data Base (http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/) 1999.
  14. Chinthalapally VR, et al. Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid esters on azoxymethane-induced biochemical changes and aberrant crypt foci formation in rat colon. Canc Res 1993;53:4182-8.
  15. Mirzoeva OK, Calder PC. The effect of propolis and its components on eicosanoid production during the inflammatory response. Prostagland Leukot Essent Fatty Acid 1996;55:441-9.
  16. Greenaway W, et al. The composition and plant origins of propolis: a report of work at Oxford. Bee World 1990;71:107-18.
  17. Cheng PC, Wong G. Honey bee propolis: prospects in medicine. Bee World 1996;77:8-14.
  18. Krell R. Value-added products from bee keeping. FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 124; 1996.
  19. Ghisalberti EL. Propolis: a review. Bee World 1979;60:59-84.
  20. Amoros M, et al. Comparison of the anti-herpes simplex virus activities of propolis and 3-methyl-but-2-enyl caffeate. J Nat Prod 1994;57:644-7.
  21. Krol W, et al. Inhibition of neutrophils chemiluminescence by ethanol extracts of propolis (EEP) and its phenolic components. J Ethnopharm 1996;55:19-25.
  22. Bloodworth BC, et al. Liquid chromatographic determination of trans-10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid content of commercial products containing royal jelly. J AOAC Int. 1995;78:1019-23.
  23. Ziboh VJ. The significance of polyunsaturated fatty acids in cutaneous biology. Lipids 1996;31:S249-53.
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