Brazilian Propolis Shows Analgesic, Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Cancer Effects

The Brazilian Red Propolis of Group 13 and Its Biological, Physical and Physiological Activities

[Editor's Note: The following presentations were offered at the 6th German Apitherapy and Apipuncture Congress held in Passau from March 27th to April 1st.]

Cleber Silveira MORAES, Dr. Andreas DAUGSCH, Prof. Dr. Yong Kun PARK, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), College of Food Engineering, Department of Food Science, Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Campinas-SP., CEP: 13081-970, Brazil. E-mail: clebersmoraes@hotmail.com

Propolis is a resinous mixture of substances collected by honey bees (Apis mellifera) from various plant sources. Numerous biological properties have been found in propolis including anti-microbial, cytotoxic, anti-herpes, antitumor, anti-HIV and suppressive effects towards dioxin toxicity.

Brazilian propolis is classified into 13 distinct groups according to their chemical composition, which is directly related to the plants used to collect resins and exudates.

In this study, propolis of group 13 was chosen, as it is the most commercialized in the northeast of Brazil and shows high biological activity. Its botanical origin is Dalbergia ecastophyllum and can be found in the northeast of Brazil inside the mangrove swamps. The botanical origin was verified by observation and different chromatographic methods / histological exams.

Propolis of group 13 is rich in flavonoids as liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, daidzein, dalbergin, formononetin, biochanin A and other phenolic compounds with highly interesting physiological properties. The propolis group 13 shows good results against some microorganisms as Streptococcus mutans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutans.

Propolis group 13 already showed activity against prostate cancer and breast cancer. Red propolis had shown analgesic effects in vivo, in concentrations of 25-40 mg dry extract/kg body mass. It has also shown high free radical scavenging and hepato-protective activity.