Propolis, also called "bee glue," is a resinous substance bees use to construct and maintain their hives. In laboratory tests, propolis has exhibited a variety of interesting antimicrobial and anti-tumor properties.

Propolis has been used since ancient times in folk medicine for its beneficial effects.

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What's in Propolis?
Propolis is a mixture of resin, essential oils and waxes mixed with bee glue; also it contains amino acid, minerals, ethanol, vitamin A, B complex, E, pollen and highly active ingredients known as flavonoids or bioflavonoids.

Benefits of Propolis
Research studies indicate that propolis, a flavonoid-rich product of honey comb, exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Laboratory studies also show that propolis has anti-tumor effects. An ointment made of propolis is able to heal genital herpetic lesions (see below). In addition, propolis has can enhance the immune system and the flavonoids in propolis act as antioxidants. The use of propolis leads to an increase in superoxide dismutase activity.

Propolis cautions
Propolis may infrequently cause contact dermatitis and other allergic reactions.

Propolis and lung cancer
Propolin H from Taiwanese propolis induces G1 arrest in human lung carcinoma cells.
J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jun 27;55(13):5289-98. Graduate Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10018, Taiwan.
Propolis contains propolin H. Propolin H inhibits the proliferation of human lung carcinoma cell lines, and a significant G1 arrest occurs in a dose-dependent manner at 24 h of exposure in H460 cells.

Propolis for herpes
A comparative multi-centre study of the efficacy of propolis, acyclovir and placebo in the treatment of genital herpes (HSV).
Phytomedicine 2000 Mar;7(1):1-6. Vynograd N, Vynograd I, Sosnowski Z. Institute of Epidemiology, Lvov State Medical University, Ukraine.
Ninety men and women with recurrent genital HSV type 2 participated in a randomized, single-blind, masked investigator, controlled multi-centre study comparing the efficacy of ointment of Canadian propolis containing natural flavonoids with ointments of acyclovir and placebo (vehicle) on healing ability and capacity to remedy symptoms. Thirty individuals were randomized to each group. Treatment was intended to start in the blister phase. All participants had HSV type 2 isolated, confirmed by serum immunoglobulin levels. The participants were examined on the 3rd, 7th and 10th days of treatment by gynaecologists, dermatovenerologists or urologists at seven different medical centres. Apart from clinical symptoms the number and size of the herpetic lesions were noted. At each examination the lesions were classified into four stages: vesicular, ulcerated, crusted and healed. The study ointments were applied to affected areas four times daily. In women with vaginal or cervical lesions a tampon with the appropriate ointment was inserted four times daily for 10 days. Endpoint variables were healing time and time until loss of symptoms. On Day 10, 24 out of 30 individuals in the propolis group had healed. In the acyclovir group 14 out of 30 and in the placebo group 12 out of 30 had healed. The healing process appeared to be faster in the propolis group. In the propolis group 15 individuals had crusted lesions on Day 3 compared to 8 individuals in the acyclovir group and none in the placebo group. On Day 7, 10 participants in the propolis group, 4 in the acyclovir group and 3 in the placebo group had healed. At the initial examination all patients had local symptoms and 28% general symptoms. At Day 3, 3 patients in the propolis group had local symptoms compared to 8 and 9 in the acyclovir and placebo groups respectively. Of the women, 66% had vaginal superinfections of microbial pathogens at the initial examination. In the acyclovir and placebo groups no change in the vaginal flora was found following treatment whereas in the propolis group the incidence of superinfection was reduced by 55%. (p = 0.10 n.s.). CONCLUSION: An ointment containing flavonoids appeared to be more effective than both acyclovir and placebo ointments in healing genital herpetic lesions, and in reducing local symptoms.

Prophylactic effectiveness of propolis for immunostimulation: a clinical pilot study
Forsch Komplementarmed 1999 Oct;6(5):256-60. Bratter C, Tregel M, Liebenthal C, Volk HD. Borner GmbH Berlin.
The aim of this pilot investigation was to show the evidence of the prophylactic immunostimulating effectiveness caused by propolis. As the cytokine secretion capacity but not the cytokine plasma levels increased significantly during therapy, the prophylactic application of propolis led to a time dependent enhanced immune reactivity without undesired side effects.

Propolis emails
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