Recent Studies in the Use of Propolis as a Traditional Medicine: A Review

Abstract

Propolis is formed by honey bees through mixing a quantity of wax into the resinous substances, which they create by mixing the plant secretions in the pollen baskets on their hind legs with enzymes in their saliva. Depending on the source from which it is obtained, propolis is found in a wide variety of colours, such as yellow, green, dark brown, being solid-state at room temperature. For centuries, apicultural products (such as honey, pollen, propolis, bee venom, bee bread and royal jelly) have been used in traditional medicine for treatment purposes. In recent years, biochemical studies related to propolis have focused on the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, and antioxidant activities of propolis.

Keywords

• Apiculture
• Honey bee
• Apicultural products
• Propolis

References

1. Afsharpourac, F., Javadiab, M., Hashemipourc, S., Koushand, Y., & Haghighiana, H. K. (2019). Propolis supplementation improves glycemic and antioxidant status in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 43, 283-288.
2. AkhavanKarbassi, M. H., Yazdi, M. F., Ahadin, H., & Sadrabad, M. J. (2016). Randomized Double Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Propolis for Oral Mucositis in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer. The Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 17(7), 3611-3614.
3. Baltas, N., Yildiz, O., & Kolayli, S. (2016). Inhibition properties of propolis extracts to some clinically important enzymes. Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 31(sup1), 52-55.
4. Basma, M. M. A., Ghoname, F. N., Hodeib, A. A., & Elbadawy, M. A. (2015), Significance of topical propolis in the treatment of facial acne vulgaris. The Egyptian Journal of Dermotology and Venereology, 35(1), 29-36.
5. Bogdanov, S. (2016). Propolis: biological properties and medical applications. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stefan_Bogdanov/publication/304012147
6. Bankova, V. S., De Castro, S. L., & Marcucci, M. C. (2000). Propolis: recent advances in chemistry and plant origin. Apidologie, 31,3–15.
7. Bayram, N. E., Sorkun, K., Cevahir Öz, G., Salih, B., & Topçu, G. (2018). Chemical Characterization of 64 Propolis Samples from Hakkari, Turkey. Records of Natural Products, 12(6), 569-581.
8. Cora, M. (2018). Determination of Antiviral Effects of Some Eastern Black Sea Propolis Samples Against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (PhD Thesis). Karadeniz Technical University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Trabzon, Turkey.

9. Çelemli, G. Ö., & Özkırım, A. (2011). Bal Arılarından Gelen Sağlık Propolis. Bilim Teknik Dergisi, 526, 28-30.
10. Çetin, A., Kaynar, L., Eser, B., Karadağ, C., Saraymen, B., Öztürk, A., Koçyiğit, İ., Hacıoğlu Kabukçu, S., Çiçek, B., & Silici, S. (2011). Beneficial Effects of Propolis on Methotrexate-Induced Liver Injury in Rats. Acta Oncologica Turgica, 44(1), 1-16.
11. Doğan, N., & Hayaoğlu, İ. (2012). Propolis ve Kullanım Alanları. Harran Tarım ve Gıda Bilimleri Dergisi, 16(3), 39-48.
12. Ebeid, S. A., Abd El Moneim, A. N., El Benhawy S. A., Hussain, N. G., & Hussain, I. M. (2016). Assessment of the radioprotective effect of propolis in breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.New perspective for an old honey bee product. Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, 9, 431-440.
13. El Adaouia Taleb, R., Noureddine, D., Chenini, H., Şahin, H., & Kolaylı, S. (2020). In vivo and in vitro anti‐diabetic activity of ethanolic propolis extract. Journal Food Biochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.13267
14. Elshoni, W., Muagam, F., Sadik, Z., & Walaa, H. (2012). Antimicrobial Activity of Propolis Extract on URT Infections in Pediatric Patients Admitted to Al-Thowrah Hospital, Hodeidah City, Yemen. World Journal of Medical Sciences 7(3), 172-177.
15. Gençay, Ö., & Salih, B. (2009). GC-MS Analysis Of Propolis Samples from 17 Different Regions of Turkey, Four Different Regions of Brazil and one from Japan. Mellifera, 9(17), 19-28.
16. Henshaw, R.F., Bolton, T., Nube, V., Hood, A., Veldhoen, D., Pfrunder, L., Mckew, L.G., Macleod, C., Mclennan, S.V., & Twigg, S.T. (2014). Topical application of the bee hive protectant propolis is well tolerated and improves human diabetic foot ulcer healing in a prospective feasibility study. Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, 28, 850-857.
17. Hosseini, M. H., Pour, S. H., Amani, J., Jabbarzadeh, S., Hosseinabadi, M., & Mirhosseini, S. (2020). The effect of Propolis on inhibition of Aspergillus parasiticus growth, aflatoxin production and expression of aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway genes. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, 18, 297–302.
18. Kaftanoğlu, O., Kumova U., & Yeninar, H. (1992). Varroa mücadelesinde son gelişmeler. Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi I. Arıcılık Semineri ( pp 127-137). Erzurum, Turkey
19. Karayel, B. (2019). The Investigation of the Effect of Propolis on the Acetylcholinesterase and Oxidative Stress in the Brain of Mouse Model of Experimental Epilepsy Model (Master Thesis). Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Institute of Health Sciences, Van, Turkey.
20. Karlıdağ, S., & Genç, F. (2007). Farkli Balarisi (Apis mellifera) Irk ve Yöntemleri Ile Üretilen Propolis Örneklerinin Reçine Miktarlari. Uludağ Arıcılık Dergisi, 2(1), 52-58.
21. Kumova, U. (2001). Varroa jacobsoni kontrolünde ülkemizde kullanılan bazı ilaçların etkinliğinin araştırılması. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 25, 597-602.
22. Kuropatnicki, A. K., Szliszka, E., & Krol, W. (2013). Historical Aspects of Propolis Research in Modern Times. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1-11.
23. Ma, Y., Zhang, J. X., Liu, Y. N., Gu, H., Zha, W. J., Zeng, X. N., & Huang, M. (2016). Caffeic acid phenethyl ester alleviates asthma by regulating the airway microenvironment via the ROS-responsive MAPK/Akt pathway. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 101, 163-175.
24. Olczyk, P., Komosinska – Vassev, K., Wisowski, G., Mencner, L., Stojko, J., & Kozma, E. M. (2014). Propolis Modulates Fibronectin Expression in the Matrix of Thermal Injury. BioMed Research International, ID 748101, 1 -10.
25. Silici, S. (2008). Farklı Botanik Orijine Sahip Propolis Örneklerinde Biyolojik Olarak Aktif Bileşiklerin Belirlenmesi. Erciyes Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi 24(1-2), 120-128.
26. Silici, S. (2019). Honeybee Products and Apitherapy. Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 7(9), 1249-1262.
27. Stangaciu, S. (2006). What is apitherapy? Retrieved from https://www.apitherapy.com.
28. Şirin, Y., Çakırı, H. E., Can, Z., Yıldız, O., & Kolaylı, S. (2017). Bal Arısı Zehrinin Karakterizasyonunda Sds-Page Elektroforez Kullanılabilirliğinin Araştırılması. Uludag Bee Journal, 16(2), 49-56.
29. Zumla, A., & Lulat, A. (1989). Honey--a remedy rediscovered. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 82(7), 384–385.