An Overview of Chemical Studies and Biological Activities of Mediterranean Propolis

Yıl 2018, Cilt: 1 Sayı: 3 - 2nd Propolis Conference Special Issue, 20 - 20, 08.12.2018

Konstantia Graıkou İoanna Chınou

Öz

Knowledge of propolis composition, which depends on the geographical
and climatic origin, is extremely valuable with respect to the problem of its
standardization. Chemical
composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of forty-five (45) selected
Mediterranean propolis extracts from mainland Greece (22), Greek islands (15),
Cyprus (5), Croatia (2), and Algeria (1) were determined.

All
previously isolated metabolites from propolis by our team, together with their
full structural determination through modern spectral means, were used as
internal standards in our further GC-MS analyses. This method is proposed as an
essential tool in the pursuit of a fast and cheap analytical method of propolis
characterization (1, 2).

More than 300 constituents have been identified through GC-MS concluded that the Greek propolis samples share characteristics that differentiate them
from typical European ones, mainly the presence of diterpenes in significant
amounts and the relatively low quantity of phenolic acid esters. Mediterranean
propolis could be confirmed as a new type of propolis consisting mainly from
diterpenes and produced based to Conifer trees among Cupressaceae and Pinaceae,
which are widespread in Mediterranean’s area Flora (3). All studied samples
showed a very interesting antimicrobial activity against a panel og eleven
human pathogenic microorganisms, probably due to their high terpenic content.
Moreover they appeared as rich sources of natural
antioxidants which can possibly be exploited as protective agents against
various free radical related degenerative diseases.

In
conclusion, Mediterranean propolis to our view is an adequately defined new
propolis type, which can be added to the well accepted existing classes.

Acknowledgments: The author would like to
thank the Special Account for Research Grants and the National and Kapodistrian
University of Athens for funding their participation in this meeting

Anahtar Kelimeler

Propolis, Biological Activities

Kaynakça

• 1. Papachroni D., Graikou K., Kosalec I., Damianakos H., Ingram V., Chinou I. (2015). Phytochemical analysis and biological evaluation of selected African propolis samples from Cameroon and Congo. Natural Product Communication, 10: 67-70. 2. Popova M.P., Graikou K., Chinou I., Bankova V.S. (2010). GC-MS profiling of diterpene compounds in mediterranean propolis from Greece. Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, 58: 3167-3176. 3. Graikou K., Popova M., Gortzi O., Bankova V., Chinou I. (2016). Characterization and biological evaluation of selected Mediterranean propolis samples. Is it a new type? LWT-Food Science and Technology, 65: 261-267