Gumbo-Limbo Botanical Origin of Triterpenoids from Yucatecan Propolis

Botanical origin of triterpenoids from Yucatecan propolis

Phytochemistry Letters
Volume 29, February 2019, Pages 25-29

BUY Concentrated Propolis in Veggie Capsules  

Highlights

• Mangiferolic acid, iso-mangiferolic acids and dammarenediol II in Yucatecan propolis.
• The resin of B. simaruba is a botanical source of triterpenes in propolis sample.
• Triterpenes in propolis sample not from the resin of local M.indica varieties.
• First report of dammarenediol II as a component of propolis.

Abstract

Propolis is a resinous material produced by bees from plant exudates; the most common secondary metabolites found in propolis are poliphenolics with different biological activities. Nevertheless, to date, there are a number of reports describing the presence of triterpenoids in propolis. This work describes the isolation and identification of the triterpenoids mangiferolic acid (1), iso-mangiferolic acid (2), and dammarenediol II (3), together with a number of ubiquitous pentacyclic triterpenes, from the extract of a propolis sample collected in Yucatan, Mexico. While the cycloartanes 1 and 2 have been reported previously from propolis samples collected in Africa, Asia and South America, this is the first report of 3 as a component in propolis.

The botanical origin of 3 and the pentacyclic triterpenes has been traced to the resin of Bursera simaruba, a tree commonly found in Yucatan peninsula. The results of this investigation confirm the close relationship between the flora surrounding the beehive and the chemical composition of propolis.