Propolis Ointment Speeds Up Healing of Cold Sores

Paying Lip Service to a New Buzz About Cold Sores

Business Day, 20/10/2012

Like the common cold, there is no cure for common cold sores. Also known as fever blisters, cold sores are small, painful blister that appear on lips and the skin around them.

They are caused by the contagious herpes simplex virus that is closely related to the one that causes genital herpes.

Dermatologists say cold sores often recur in response to stress or a weakened immune system, and are best treated as soon as they appear with antiviral medications.

A new one on the market is an Australian product called propovir. It contains a patented extract of propolis, a naturally occurring substance that is collected by honey bees (Apis mellifera) from various plant sources. It has been used for over 2000 years as traditional medicine, says Steven Mann, marketing manager of Mentholatum, the company that has brought the product to SA.

Propovir has evidence to show that it can speed up the lesion healing process by up to four days, and to reduce pain, significantly, says Mann…