Propolis May be Therapeutic Agent for Asthma

Propolis Extracts Exhibit an Immunoregulatory Activity in an OVA-Sensitized Airway Inflammatory Animal Model
International Immunopharmacology, 2/28/2006

Abstract: Propolis, which has been used widely in folk medicine, has been shown to exhibit various biological activities but its immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory activities in intact animals have not been well studied. We investigated these activities of propolis using an ovalbumin-induced asthma animal model. . .

The splenocytes from mice administered with propolis extracts (low- and high-dose groups) exhibit a strong inhibition of IL-10 secretion and up-regulation of IFN-γ secretion in splenocytes stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA). In addition, cytokine (IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-10) secretion in OVA-stimulated splenocytes from the propolis groups was significantly lower than that in the control group.

These results suggest that propolis extracts may be a potential novel therapeutic agent for asthma.