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Propolis is a resinous mixture that honey bee
Honey bee

Honey bees are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of wiktionary:perennial, Colony nests out of beeswax....
s collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive
Beehive (beekeeping)

A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the genus Apis live and raise their young. Natural beehives are naturally-occurring structures occupied by honey bee colonies, while domesticated honey bees live in man-made beehives, often in an apiary....
. Propolis is used for small gaps (approximately or less), while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax
Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the Beehive of honey bees of the genus Apis. Worker bees have eight wax-producing mirror glands on the inner sides of the sternites on abdominal segments 4 to 7....
. Its color varies depending on its botanical source, the most common being dark brown
Brown

Brown, when used as a general term, is a color that is a dark yellow, orange , or red, of low luminance relative to lighter or white colored objects....
. Propolis is sticky at and above room temperature.






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Propolis is a resinous mixture that honey bee
Honey bee

Honey bees are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of wiktionary:perennial, Colony nests out of beeswax....
s collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive
Beehive (beekeeping)

A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the genus Apis live and raise their young. Natural beehives are naturally-occurring structures occupied by honey bee colonies, while domesticated honey bees live in man-made beehives, often in an apiary....
. Propolis is used for small gaps (approximately or less), while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax
Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the Beehive of honey bees of the genus Apis. Worker bees have eight wax-producing mirror glands on the inner sides of the sternites on abdominal segments 4 to 7....
. Its color varies depending on its botanical source, the most common being dark brown
Brown

Brown, when used as a general term, is a color that is a dark yellow, orange , or red, of low luminance relative to lighter or white colored objects....
. Propolis is sticky at and above room temperature. At lower temperatures it becomes hard and very brittle.

For centuries, beekeepers assumed that bees sealed the beehive with propolis to protect the colony from the elements, such as rain and cold winter drafts. However, 20th century research has revealed that bees not only survive, but also thrive, with increased ventilation during the winter months throughout most temperate regions of the world.

Propolis is now believed to:
  1. reinforce the structural stability of the hive
  2. reduce vibration
  3. make the hive more defensible by sealing alternate entrances
  4. prevent diseases and parasites from entering the hive
  5. prevent putrefaction within the hive. Bees usually carry waste out of and away from the hive. However if a small lizard
    Lizard

    Lizards are a large and widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 5,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains....
     or mouse
    Mouse

    A mouse is a small animal that belongs to one of numerous species of rodents. The best known mouse species is the House Mouse . It is also a popular pet....
    , for example, found its way into the hive and died there, bees may be unable to carry it out through the hive entrance. In that case, they would attempt instead to seal the carcass
    Carcass

    Carcass may refer to:* Carcase the body of slaughtered animal after the removal of the offal etc.*Carcass A term for a dead body, typically that of an animal....
     in propolis, essentially mummifying it and making it odorless and harmless.

Composition


The composition of propolis will vary from hive to hive, district to district, and from season to season. Normally it is dark brown in color, but it can be found in green, red, black and white hues, depending on the sources of resin
Resin

Resin is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly Pinophyta. It is valued for its chemical constituents and uses, such as varnishes and adhesives, as an important source of raw materials for organic synthesis, or for incense and perfume....
 found in the particular hive area. Honey bees are opportunists, and will gather what they need from available sources, and detailed analyses show that propolis chemical composition varies considerably from region to region, along with the vegetation. In northern temperate
Temperate

In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally mild, rather than extreme hot or cold....
 climates, for example, bees collect resins from tree
TREE

TREE was a Boston hardcore punk band formed in the summer of 1990. They were active in the Boston music scene until disbanding in 2002....
s, such as poplars and conifers (the biological role of resin in trees is to seal wounds and defend against bacteria, fungi and insects). Poplar resin is rich in flavonoid
Flavonoid

The term flavonoid refers to a class of plant secondary metabolites. According to the IUPAC nomenclature, they can be classified into:*flavonoids, derived from 2-phenylchromone structure...
s. "Typical" northern temperate propolis has approximately 50 constituents, primarily resins and vegetable balsam
Balsam

Balsam is a term used for various pleasantly scented plant products. These are oily or gummy oleoresins, usually containing benzoic acid or cinnamic acid, obtained from the exudates of various trees and shrubs and used as a base for some botanical medicines....
s (50%), wax
Wax

Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees and used by them in constructing their honeycombs.It is an imprecisely defined term generally understood to be a substance with properties similar to beeswax, namely...
es (30%), essential oil
Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove....
s (10%), and pollen
Pollen

Pollen is a fine to coarse powder consisting of Gametophyte , which produce the male gametes of spermatophyta. A hard coat covering the pollen grain protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement between the stamens of the flower to the pistil of the next flower....
 (5%). In neotropical regions, in addition to a large variety of trees, bees may also gather resin from flowers in the genera Clusia
Clusia

Clusia is the type genus of the family Clusiaceae. Comprising 140-150 species, it is native to tropical and subtropical Americas. Its species are shrubs, vines and small to medium-size trees up to 20 m tall, with evergreen foliage....
 and Dalechampia
Dalechampia

Dalechampia is a genus of plant of the family Euphorbiaceae and of the monogeneric subtribe Dalechampiinae. It comprises about 120 species, all found in lowland tropical areas and especially in the Americas....
, which are the only known plant genera that produce floral resins to attract pollinators. Clusia resin contains polyprenylated benzophenones. In some areas of Chile
Chile

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow coastal strip wedged between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean....
, propolis contains viscidone, a terpene
Terpene

Terpenes are a large and varied class of hydrocarbons, produced primarily by a wide variety of plants, particularly conifers, though also by some insects such as termites or swallowtail butterflies, which emit terpenes from their osmeterium....
 from Baccharis
Baccharis

Baccharis is a genus of perennial plant and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true broom s....
 shrubs, and in Brazil, naphthoquinone epoxide has recently isolated from red propolis, and prenylated acids such as 4-hydroxy-3,5-diprenyl cinnamic acid have been documented. An analysis of propolis from Henan
Henan

Henan , is a Province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-Chinese character abbreviation is ? , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty province that included parts of Henan....
, China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
 found sinapic acid, isoferulic acid, caffeic acid
Caffeic acid

Caffeic acid, carbon9hydrogen8oxygen4 is a naturally occurring phenolic compound, , which is found in many fruits, vegetables, and herbs, including coffee, although varying in amounts depending on the plant....
 and chrysin
Chrysin

Chrysin is a naturally occurring flavone chemically extracted from the blue passion flower . Honeycomb also contains small amounts....
, with the first three compounds demonstrating anti-bacterial properties. Occasionally worker bees will even gather various caulking compounds of human manufacture, when the usual sources are more difficult to obtain. The properties of the propolis depend on the exact sources used by each individual hive, therefore any potential medicinal properties that may be present in one hive's propolis may be absent from another's, and the distributors of propolis products cannot control such factors. This may account for the many and varied claims regarding medicinal properties, and the difficulty in replicating previous scientific studies investigating these claims. Even propolis samples taken from within a single colony can vary, making controlled clinical tests difficult, and the results of any given study cannot be reliably extrapolated to propolis samples from other areas.

Uses


Medical use

Propolis is marketed by health food store
Health food store

A health food store is a type of grocery store that primarily sells health food, organic foods, local produce, and often nutritional supplements....
s as a traditional medicine
Traditional medicine

The term traditional medicine describes medical knowledge systems, which developed over centuries within various societies before the era of modern medicine; traditional medicines include practices such as herbal medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Unani medicine, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, Siddha Medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, S...
, and for its claimed beneficial effect on human
Human

A human being, also human or man, is a member of a species of bipedalism primates in the family Hominidae . Mitochondrial DNA evidence indicates that modern humans originated in east Africa about 200,000 years ago....
 health
Health

In 1948, the World Health Organisation defined health as ?a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.? ...
.

Natural medicine practitioners use propolis for the relief of various conditions, including inflammation
Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
s, viral diseases, ulcer
Ulcer

An ulcer is a discontinuity of the skin exhibiting complete loss of the epidermis and often portions of the dermis and even subcutaneous fat....
s, superficial burns or scalds.

Propolis is also believed to promote heart health, strengthen the immune system and reduce the chances of cataract
Cataract

A cataract is a clouding that develops in the lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete Opacity and obstructing the passage of light....
s. Old beekeeper
Beekeeper

A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen; pollination fruits and vegetables; raising Queen and bees for sale to other farmers; and/or for purposes satisfying natural scientific curiosity....
s recommend a piece of propolis kept in the mouth as a remedy for a sore throat. Propolis lozenge
Throat lozenge

A throat lozenge or cough drop is a small, medicated candy intended to be dissolved slowly in the mouth to lubricate and soothe irritated tissues of the throat , possibly from the common cold or influenza....
s and tinctures can be bought in many countries. Though claims have been made for its use in treating allergies
Allergy

Allergy is a Disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to Natural environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are Acquired disorder, predictable and rapid....
, propolis may cause severe allergic reactions if the user is sensitive to bees or bee products.

Some of these claims are being clinically investigated and several studies are published in the biomedical literature. Since the chemical composition of propolis varies depending on season, bee species and geographic location, caution must be applied in extrapolating results (as above).

As an antimicrobial

Depending upon its composition, propolis may show powerful local antibiotic
Antibiotic

In common usage, an antibiotic is a substance or compound that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics belong to the group of antimicrobial compounds used to treat infections caused by microorganisms, including fungus and protozoa....
 and antifungal properties,

As an emollient

Studies also indicate that it may be effective in treating skin burns.

As an immunomodulator

Propolis also exhibits immunomodulatory effects

As an orthodontic aid

Propolis is a subject of recent dentistry research, since there is some evidence that propolis may actively protect against caries
Dental caries

Dental caries, also known as tooth decay, is a disease where bacterial processes damage hard tooth structure . These tissues progressively break down, producing dental cavities ....
 and other forms of oral disease, due to its antimicrobial properties. Propolis can also be used to treat canker sores, its use in canal debridement
Root canal

A root canal is the space within the root of a tooth. It is part of a naturally occurring space within a tooth that consists of the pulp chamber , the main canal, and more intricate anatomical branches that may connect the root canals to each other or to the surface of the root....
 for endodontic
Endodontics

Endodontics, from the Greek endo and odons , is a one of the nine specialties of dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association, and deals with the pulp and the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth....
 procedures has been explored in Brazil.

As an anti-tumor growth agent

Propolis' use in inhibiting tumorigenesis has been studied in mice in Japan.

Commercial uses


In musical instruments
Propolis is used by certain music instrument makers to enhance the appearance of the wood grain. It is a component of some varnishes and was reportedly used by Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari

Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier, a crafter of stringed instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field....
.

See also


  • Discussion of bee space in the beehive
    Beehive (beekeeping)

    A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the genus Apis live and raise their young. Natural beehives are naturally-occurring structures occupied by honey bee colonies, while domesticated honey bees live in man-made beehives, often in an apiary....
     article.


External links

  • published online April 16, 2004