My last blog post explored some of the many health benefits of honey. There are also other bee products that seem to be good for our health. One such substance is propolis.
Bee propolis is a sticky, resin-like mixture of gums, resins and balms that the bees collect from plants and trees. Propolis is used by the bees in hive construction and repair. Recently this bee product has been gaining attention for the health giving properties it can provide. In folk medicine is has been used for centuries. Many hundreds of studies have been carried out using bee propolis and it is known that the substance possesses anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-ulcer and anti-tumour activities (1).
The chemical composition of propolis is rather complex, it contains over 300 compounds including polyphenols, flavonoids (bioactive plant chemicals) and various organic acids (such as caffeic acid). I have discussed flavonoids previously in many of my blog posts, they are also abundantly found in fruits and vegetables and act as powerful antioxidants in our bodies. A recently published study (2) has found that propolis seems to be the most powerful antioxidant of all the bee products (compared with pollen, honey and royal jelly). This antioxidant capacity is due to the various flavonoids and caffeic acid that propolis contains.
Antioxidants are linked to the reduction in the risk of many conditions raging from cancer to heart disease, dementia and arthritis. One of the reasons why fruit and vegetables are so important in our diets is because they provide many antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins C and E and various antioxidant bioflavonoids. Flavonoids act as antioxidants in the body, helping to prevent cell damage and protection against disease by mopping-up destructive unstable oxygen molecules known as ‘free radicals’, these free radicals create what is known as oxidative stress in the body. There is mounting evidence that these destructive molecules, together with lowered bodily antioxidant defences, play a significant role in the development and aggravation of many diseases, including heart disease, stroke and cancer to name but a few.
The body does produce its own antioxidants but also relies on vitamins, mineral and phytochemicals (bioactive plant chemical) from the diet, especially from colourful vegetables and fruits, for additional valuable supplies.
The researchers involved in the study of bee products (2) used a series of laboratory tests to measure how well the bee products were able to scavenge three different types of reactive oxygen species. They found that a water extract of Brazilian green propolis had the strongest effects, followed closely by an alcohol propolis extract. An extract of bee pollen collected from two bee species in Spain also had antioxidant effects, but was only about one-tenth as strong as the propolis extracts. The propolis was found to have antioxidant capacities equivalent to those of vitamin C and a vitamin E derivative.
The results of the study are interesting, however whether these laboratory studies would translate to health benefits in human studies is yet unknown and further research will need to be undertaken before any firm conclusions can be drawn. It may well be that propolis could have beneficial effects against some oxidative-stress related diseases in human. Propolis supplements are widely available to buy and are usually marketed toward boosting and maintaining a healthy immune system and protecting against colds and viral infection.
(1)Khalil ML. 2006. Biological activity of bee propolis in health and disease. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 7(1):22-31.
(2)Nakajima Y et al. 2009. Comparison of bee products based on assays of antioxidant capacities BMC Complement Altern Med. 9(1):4. [Epub ahead of print]
Written by Ani Kowal
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