Green Propolis Has Better Antibacterial Activity Than Stingless Bee Propolis

Effects of Stingless Bee and Honey Bee Propolis on Four Species of Bacteria
Genet Mol Res, 2009;8(2):635-40

We examined the antibacterial activities of several types of propolis, including Africanized honey bee green propolis and propolis produced by meliponini bees. The antibacterial activity of green propolis against Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus was superior to that of Melipona quadrifasciata and Scaptotrigona sp propolis. Only two samples of propolis (green propolis and Scaptotrigona sp propolis) were efficient against Escherichia coli. Melipona quadrifasciata propolis was better than green propolis and Scaptotrigona sp propolis against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We concluded that these resins have potential for human and veterinary medicine…

Although we did no chemical analyses of the propolis extracts, propolis composition should certainly differ among these samples and would be responsible for their differing antibacterial activity. This conclusion is supported by the findings of Bankova et al. (1998), who reported differences in propolis chemical composition produced by species of Brazilian stingless bees.

We conclude that, in general, green honey bee propolis is better than stingless bee propolis; we also conclude that these resins have potential importance for human and veterinary medicine.