Propolis May Help Protect the Liver from Damage

Propolis Protects CYP 2E1 Enzymatic Activity and Oxidative Stress Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride
Journal of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Issue Volume 302, Numbers 1-2, August, 2007, Pages 215-224

Abstract: …Experimental liver injury was induced in rats by CCl4 to determine toxicological actions on CYP 2E1 by microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes. In this report, ethanolic extract of propolis at a dose of 200 mg/kg (po) was used after 24 h of toxicant administration to validate its protective potential…

Propolis extract showed significant improvement in the activity of both enzymes and suppressed toxicant induced increase in sleep time and bromosulphalein retention. Choleretic activity of liver did not show any sign of toxicity after propolis treatment at a dose of 200 mg/kg (id).

Histopathological evaluation of the liver revealed that propolis reduced the incidence of liver lesions including hepatocyte swelling and lymphocytic infiltrations induced by CCl4. Electron microscopic observations also showed improvement in ultrastructure of liver and substantiated recovery in biochemical parameters.

Protective activity of propolis at 200 mg/kg dose was statistically compared with positive control silymarin (50 mg/kg, po), a known hepatoprotective drug seems to be better in preventing hepatic CYP 2E1 activity deviated by CCl4.

These results lead us to speculate that propolis may play hepatoprotective role via improved CYP 2E1 activity and reduced oxidative stress in living system.