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Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 36115

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Dr. Otilia Bobis

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Life Science Institute “King Michael I of Romania”, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj, Manastur st. 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: food chemistry; bee products; plant extracts; isolation and characterization of plant extracts; chromatography; spectrometry; in vitro evaluations of biological activity of bee products (honey, propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly); foods and plant extracts
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Dear Colleagues,

Propolis or “bee glue” is a resinous waxy substance produced by honeybees by mixing the exudates obtained from plants such as tree buds, sap flows, leaves, branches, and barks of plants with their saliva and beeswax.

Propolis composition is very complex. Its main constituents are resins and volatiles from plants and beeswax. The biological activity of propolis is assigned to these plant-derived substances.

The main three types of propolis are European propolis (poplar type), Green Brazilian propolis (leaf resin of Baccharis dracunculifolia) and Red Cuban propolis (floral resin of Clusia rosea). The plant source gives specific composition and properties for propolis coming from different regions of the world. For this reason, studies on chemical composition of propolis as well as botanical sources resulting in its geographically conditioned diversity are a very good theme for a Special Issue of the Plants journal.

For this Special Issue, we invite investigators and scholars to submit original articles, review articles, and short communications on the following topics related to propolis:

Plant species used by the bees as raw material for propolis production;
Biological activities of plant extracts related to propolis;
The history of propolis research;
Chemical composition of propolis (poplar type propolis, green propolis, red propolis;
Biological activity of propolis (antioxidant, antibacterial, antiparasitic , antitumor, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective properties);
Antiviral activity of propolis against human, bee, and animal viruses;
Different applications of propolis connected to plant source and origin;
Propolis and bee health;
Propolis and human health (apitherapy, apiphytotherapy);
Synergism between plants and propolis in human health.

Dr. Otilia Bobiş
Guest Editor

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Keywords

propolis
related plants
chemical composition
bioactive constituents
in vitro activity
in vivo activity
antibacterial activity
antiviral action
propolis and cancer
apitherapy
apiphytotherapy

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 208 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties

by Otilia Bobiş

Plants 2022, 11(17), 2298; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11172298 - 02 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1636

Abstract

Propolis or “bee glue” is a resinous waxy substance that is produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera) by mixing the exudates collected from plants, namely tree buds, sap flows, leaves, branches and barks with their saliva and beeswax. Propolis composition is very complex. Its main constituents are resins and volatiles originating from plants and wax added by the bee. The biological activity of propolis is assigned to these plant-derived substances. The main three types of propolis are European propolis, called poplar type propolis; Green Brazilian propolis (derived mainly from the leaf resin of Baccharis dracunculifolia) and Red Cuban propolis (from the floral resin of Clusia rosea). The plant’s source gives it a specific composition and properties for the propolis types that are coming from different regions of the world. For this reason, studies on the chemical composition of propolis as well as its botanical sources resulting in its geographically conditioned diversity, were a very good theme for the present Special Issue (SI) of Plants journal. The present SI contains nine original contributions addressing propolis plant sources, their chemical composition and different bioactive properties derived from this origin. The chemical composition of propolis that is made by the bees was also discussed, as well as the different medical activities of propolis extract. The papers cover a wide range of subjects, including (i) the plant species used by the bees as raw material for propolis production, (ii) the biological activities of plant extracts related to propolis, (iii) the chemical composition of different types of propolis, (iv) the biological activity of propolis, (v) propolis and human health, and (vi) synergism between plants and propolis in human health. The studies have been carried out in both in vitro and in vivo surveys and a wide range of geographic regions are covered in the sample collection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

Research

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17 pages, 2565 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of the Antioxidant Activity of Propolis Samples from Different Geographical Regions

by Anna Kurek-Górecka, Şaban Keskin, Otilia Bobis, Rafael Felitti, Michał Górecki, Michał Otręba, Jerzy Stojko, Paweł Olczyk, Sevgi Kolayli and Anna Rzepecka-Stojko

Plants 2022, 11(9), 1203; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11091203 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 3146

Abstract

Propolis composition depends on several factors. The classification of propolis is based on its geographical location, color and agricultural characteristics. It is also classified according to the flora where the bees collect the resins, which represent the raw material for propolis production. Propolis possesses high antioxidant activity determined by its phenolic compounds. Due to diverse composition and possible impact on human health, eight samples of propolis were evaluated for their phenolic composition and antioxidant activity. Samples of Polish, Romanian, Turkish and Uruguayan origin propolis were used for phenolic spectrum determination using high performance liquid chromatography and photodiode array detection and in vitro DPPH and ABTS methods were used to determine the antioxidant activity of the extracts. PCA and HCA models were applied to evaluate the correlation between isolated polyphenols and antioxidant activity. The results confirmed variability in propolis composition depending on the geographical region of collection and the plant sources, and correlation between chemical composition and antioxidant activity. Results of PCA and HCA analyses confirm that Polish propolis is similar to that from different provinces of Romania, while Turkish and Uruguay are completely different. Polish and Romanian propolis belong to the poplar type. The assessed phenolic compounds of propolis samples used in the study are responsible for its antioxidant effect. The observed antioxidant activity of the analyzed samples may suggest directing subsequent research on prophylactic and therapeutic properties concerning cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and cancerous diseases, which are worth continuing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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12 pages, 1246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Propolis Paste and Mouthwash Formulation on Healing after Teeth Extraction in Periodontal Disease

by Maria Jesús Lisbona-González, Esther Muñoz-Soto, Cristina Lisbona-González, Marta Vallecillo-Rivas, Javier Diaz-Castro and Jorge Moreno-Fernandez

Plants 2021, 10(8), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10081603 - 04 Aug 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3328

Abstract

This study investigated the antimicrobial effects of a mouthwash containing propolis and the effect of a propolis paste formulation on dental healing after teeth extraction in patients with periodontal disease. In the mouthwash experience, the population comprised 40 patients, which were divided as follows: the control mouthwash, 0.2% chlorhexidine (v/v) mouthwash, 2% (w/v) propolis mouthwash, and propolis + chlorhexidine mouthwash. The study of the propolis paste comprised a population of 60 patients with periodontal disease, and a total of 120 symmetric tooth extractions were performed. Propolis showed antimicrobial activity by itself, and especially with the chlorhexidine association. Three days after surgery in the teeth treated with control paste, only 13.4% had completely healed; however, with propolis paste, in 90% of the periodontal sockets, healing was complete. In addition, a reduction in Streptococci mutans and Lactobacilli cfu was observed with propolis, and especially with the association of chlorhexidine + propolis. Propolis mouthwash reduced bacterial proliferation, especially in association with chlorhexidine. Propolis paste is a viable alternative for socket healing after dental extraction. The knowledge gained from these findings will provide a foundation for similar propolis therapies in order to improve the healing process after dental surgery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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12 pages, 1130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Geographic Area of Collection Determines the Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Potential of Three Extracts of Chilean Propolis

by Marysol Alvear, Estela Santos, Felipe Cabezas, Andrés Pérez-SanMartín, Mónica Lespinasse and Jorge Veloz

Plants 2021, 10(8), 1543; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10081543 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1994

Abstract

The biological properties of chilean propolis have been described and include antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm activities. Propolis has a strong antimicrobial potential. Clinical experiences with synthetic antibiotics indicated the need to discover new sources of bioactive compounds associated with ethnopharmacological knowledge or natural sources such as propolis. The microscopic analysis of pollen grains from plants allows us to determine the botanical origin of the propolis samples. In Angol, sample pollen grains were obtained from fodder plants (Sorghum bicolor; Lotus sp.) and trees, such as Acacia sp., Pinus radiata, Eucalyptus sp. and Salix babylonica. Propolis from the Maule region contains pollen grains from endemic plants such as Quillaja saponaria. Finally, the sample obtained from Melipilla presented a wider variety of pollen extracted from vegetable species.Colorimetric assays performed to quantify the total polyphenols present in Chilean propolis samples established that PCP2 (Angol sample) showed high amounts of phenolics compounds, with significant statistical differences in comparison with the other samples. The main compounds identified were pinocembrin, quercetin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). The Angol sample showed a high content of polyphenols.Studies that determine the influence of geographical and floral variables on the chemical composition of propolis are a valuable source of information for the study of its biological properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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18 pages, 2552 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extracts of Poplar Buds (Populus balsamifera L., Populus nigra L.) and Lithuanian Propolis: Comparison of Their Composition and Biological Activities

by Monika Stanciauskaite, Mindaugas Marksa, Mindaugas Liaudanskas, Liudas Ivanauskas, Marija Ivaskiene and Kristina Ramanauskiene

Plants 2021, 10(5), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050828 - 21 Apr 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3440

Abstract

Balsam poplar and black poplar (Populus balsamifera L. and Populus nigra L.) buds that grow in Lithuania are the primary source of propolis, therefore it is proper to evaluate and compare the composition of these raw plant materials and propolis quantitatively and qualitatively. Propolis and balsamic poplar bud extract are dominated by p-coumaric acid and black poplar-caffeic acid. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power) and CUPRAC (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity) methods and all extracts showed antioxidant activity, and obtained results correlated with the obtained amounts of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in the extracts. Studies of antimicrobial activity have shown that all extracts have a growth inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, but the extract of balsam poplar buds showed the most significant effect of such kind. Considering the results of the research, it can be stated that balsam poplar buds cultured in Lithuania are the primary raw material of propolis, which is rich in phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties and is a promising raw material for pharmaceutical purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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9 pages, 867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Green Brazilian Propolis Alcohol Extract on Nociceptive Pain Models in Rats

by Mohammed T. Al-Hariri and Turki S. Abualait

Plants 2020, 9(9), 1102; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091102 - 27 Aug 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2466

Abstract

Pain is one of the most common symptoms encountered in the medical practice. None of the management procedures used currently offer a complete relief for patients suffering from nociceptive pain. New treatment strategies for pain management are needed. Propolis has been used in traditional medicine to relieve various types of pain. The aim of the current study was to investigate the potential effects of the green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract in vivo on the nociceptive and inflammatory pain models in rats. Rats were distributed into three random groups (n = 6); Group I: control group received normal saline intraperitoneally (i.p.); Group II: treated with green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract (P50 mg/kg i.p.); Group III: treated with P100 mg/kg i.p. After sixty minutes, 50 μL of 5% formalin was injected subcutaneously into the dorsal surface of the right hind paw. The nociceptive response was identified by counting the number of flinches of the injected paw. The number of flinches was counted for the period of 0–5 min (early phase; neurogenic) and 10–60 min (late phase; inflammatory). Thermal hyperalgesia was assessed using three-paw withdrawal latency measurement with ten minutes intervals using a planter analgesic meter. Abdominal writhe (contraction) was induced by i.p. injection of acetic acid (1 mL of 2%). The results showed that green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract caused a significant inhibition of acetic acid-induced pain and significantly increased the pain threshold against infrared and formalin tests. The promising antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of propolis and/or its active constituents as natural compounds in the present study indicates that it merits further studies in pain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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22 pages, 6414 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Turkish Propolis and Its Nano Form Can Ameliorate the Side Effects of Cisplatin, Which Is a Widely Used Drug in the Treatment of Cancer

by Pinar Tatli Seven, Ismail Seven, Selcan Karakus, Seda Iflazoglu Mutlu, Gozde Arkali, Yesim Muge Sahin and Ayben Kilislioglu

Plants 2020, 9(9), 1075; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091075 - 21 Aug 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3919

Abstract

This study was performed to determine the effects of chitosan-coated nano-propolis (NP), which is synthesized via a green sonochemical method, and propolis on the side effects of cisplatin (CP), which is a widely used drug in the treatment of cancer. For this aim, 56 rats were divided into seven groups, balancing their body weights (BW). The study was designed as Control, CP (3 mg/kg BW at single dose of CP as intraperitoneal, ip), Propolis (100 mg/kg BW per day of propolis by gavage), NP-10 (10 mg/kg BW of NP per day by gavage), CP + Propolis (3 mg/kg BW of CP and 100 mg/kg BW of propolis), CP + NP-10 (3 mg/kg CP and 10 mg/kg BW of NP), and CP + NP-30 (3 mg/kg BW of CP and 30 mg/kg BW of NP). Propolis and NP (especially NP-30) were preserved via biochemical parameters, oxidative stress, and activation of apoptotic pathways (anti-apoptotic protein: Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic protein: Bax) in liver and kidney tissues in the toxicity induced by CP. The NP were more effective than propolis at a dose of 30 mg/kg BW and had the potential to ameliorate CP’s negative effects while overcoming serious side effects such as liver and kidney damage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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Review

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14 pages, 740 KiB

Open AccessReview

Potential Role of Propolis in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

by Georgeta Balica, Oliviu Vostinaru, Cristina Stefanescu, Cristina Mogosan, Irina Iaru, Anamaria Cristina and Carmen Elena Pop

Plants 2021, 10(5), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050883 - 27 Apr 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3918

Abstract

Propolis is a resinous mixture with a complex chemical composition, produced by honeybees and stingless bees from a variety of vegetal sources. In the last decades, propolis was extensively researched, multiple studies confirming its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties. More recently, due to an exponential increase in the number of patients with metabolic diseases, there is also a growing interest in the study of antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anti-obesity effects of propolis. The aim of this review was to evaluate the potential role of propolis in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity. The preclinical in vivo and in vitro pharmacological models investigating antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anti-obesity effects of propolis were reviewed with a focus on the putative mechanisms of actions of several chemical constituents. Additionally, the available clinical studies and an evaluation of the safety profile of propolis were also presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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20 pages, 781 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Plant Sources Responsible for the Chemical Composition and Main Bioactive Properties of Poplar-Type Propolis

by Daniel Severus Dezmirean, Claudia Paşca, Adela Ramona Moise and Otilia Bobiş

Plants 2021, 10(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010022 - 24 Dec 2020

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5179

Abstract

Propolis is a resinous mixture, made by the honeybees from substances collected from tree or other plant buds, plant exudates, or resins found in the stem, branches, or leaves of different plants. The geographical origin of propolis is given by plant sources from respective areas. Different studies have classified this bee product according to the vegetal material from the same areas. Poplar-type propolis has the widest spread in the world, in the temperate zones from Europe, Asia, or North America. The name is given by the main plant source from where the bees are collecting the resins, although other vegetal sources are present in the mentioned areas. Different Pinus spp., Prunus spp., Acacia spp. and also Betula pendula, Aesculus hippocastanum, and Salix alba are important sources of resins for “poplar-type” propolis. The aim of this review is to identify the vegetal material’s chemical composition and activities of plant resins and balms used by the bees to produce poplar-type propolis and to compare it with the final product from similar geographical regions. The relevance of this review is to find the similarities between the chemical composition and properties of plant sources and propolis. The latest determination methods of bioactive compounds from plants and propolis are also reviewed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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23 pages, 1116 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Baccharis dracunculifolia and Dalbergia ecastophyllum, Main Plant Sources for Bioactive Properties in Green and Red Brazilian Propolis

by Adela Ramona Moise and Otilia Bobiş

Plants 2020, 9(11), 1619; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111619 - 21 Nov 2020

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4525

Abstract

Nowadays, propolis is used as a highly valuable product in alternative medicine for improving health or treating a large spectrum of pathologies, an ingredient in pharmaceutical products, and also as a food additive. Different vegetal materials are collected by honeybees and mixed with wax and other own substances in order to obtain the final product, called propolis. It is known as the bee product with the widest chemical composition due to the raw material collected by the bees. Different types are known worldwide: green Brazilian propolis (having Baccharis dracunculifolia as the major plant source), red Brazilian propolis (from Dalbergia ecastophyllum), European propolis (Populus nigra L.), Russian propolis (Betula verrucosa Ehrh), Cuban and Venezuelan red propolis (Clusia spp.), etc. An impressive number of scientific papers already demonstrate the pharmacological potential of different types of propolis, the most important activities being the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. However, the bioactive compounds responsible for each activity have not been fully elucidated. This review aims to collect important data about the chemical composition and bioactive properties of the vegetal sources and to compare with the chemical composition of respective propolis types, in order to determine the connection between the floral source and the propolis properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties)

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