Study Seeks Antioxidant Standard for Croatian Propolis Extracts

From Functional Food to Medicinal Product: Systematic Approach in Analysis of Polyphenolics from Propolis and Wine
Nutrition Journal, 2009, 8:33

In the last decade interest on nutraceuticals and natural medicinal products is constantly growing. The market is full of antioxidant formulations of wide variety of sources. For the registration of nutraceutical as natural medicinal product analytical procedures have to be developed, product has to be standardized and their functionality and beneficial effects have to be demonstrated.

The goal of our studies was standardization of Croatian propolis extracts as a rich sample of flavonoids and phenolic - active components to which pharmacological (antioxidant) activity is attributed…

In vivo study of propolis prolonged used showed beneficial in male population demonstrating reduction in free-radical-induced lipid peroxidation as well as increase in activity of superoxide dismutase. Production of malonaldehyde (degradation product of peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids) reduced and activity of superoxide dismutase (first and most important line of antioxidant enzyme defense) was increased.

Antioxidant supplements are flooding the market. Asking pharmacist for a new product - extract of the plant coming from exotic country, will usually end with the answer “its antioxidant and thus good for your health”. The necessity of standardization natural antioxidant products made us write this minireview-providing basis for standardization of natural antioxidant products rich in polyphenols using simple and readily available techniques based on our research on propolis and wine.