Propolis is a resinous hive product collected by honeybees from various plant sources. It is a popular folk medicine possessing a broad spectrum of biological activities. It has also been used as a health drink in various Asian, European and American countries. Several groups of researchers have focused their attention on the biological activity of propolis and its active principles. Many scientific articles are published every year in different international journals related to the pharmacological properties of propolis. This review article compiles recent findings (since 1995) on the pharmacological properties of propolis focusing on its antihepatotoxic, antitumour, antioxidative, antimicrobial and antiinflammatory properties. The possible mechanism of action of propolis as well as the active compounds are discussed.

Recent Progress in Pharmacological Research of Propolis

Antioxidant activity of propolis of various geographic origins

Propolis and the immune system: a review.

Propolis: is there a potential for the development of new drugs?

Brazilian propolis has been classified into 12 groups based on physicochemical characteristics: five in the southern Brazil group (group 3), one in the southeastern Brazil group (group 12), and six in the northeastern Brazil group (group 6). The plant origins of these groups were investigated using reversed-phase high-performance thin-layer chromatography (RPHPTLC), reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RPHPLC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was concluded that the origins of propolis group 3, group 6, and group 12 are resins of the poplar tree, Hyptis divaricata, and Baccharis dracunculifolia, respectively.

Botanical origin and chemical composition of Brazilian propolis.

Propolis and plant secretions from three species, most frequently mentioned as botanical sources of the bee glue in Brazil (Baccharis dracunculifolia, Araucaria angustifolia and Eucalyptus citriodora) have been investigated using GC-MS. Based on chemical evidence, B. dracunculifolia was shown to be the main propolis source in Sao Paulo state. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of all four materials were also tested, the most active being propolis and Baccharis leaf exudate.

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Phytochemical Evidence for the Plant Origin of Brazilian Propolis from São Paulo State

Pollination Biology of Jacaranda oxyphylla with an Emphasis on Staminode Function

The floral biology of three weeds, Ipomoea cairica, I. grandifolia and I. nil (Convolvulaceae), was studied in Botucatu and Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, in southeastern Brazil. The three species are melittophilous, with a varied set of floral visitors, but with some overlapping. Cluster analysis using Jacquard similarity index indicated a greater similarity among different plant species in the same locality than among the populations at different places, in relation to floral visitor sets. The promiscuous and opportunistic features of the flowers were shown, with such type of adaptation to pollination being advantageous to weeds since pollinator availability is unpredictable at ruderal environments.

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Floral biology and breeding system of three Ipomoea weeds

Realizou-se o levantamento floristico de uma area remanescente de cerrado sensu stricto no Municipio de Botucatu, regiao centro-oeste do Estado de Sao Paulo, Sudeste do Brasil. Foram registrados 179 taxons de angiospermas (177 especies) distribuidas em 122 generos e 49 familias e cinco especies de pteridofitas pertencentes a quatro generos e duas familias. O componente lenhoso foi predominante representando mais de 60% das especies registradas. A proporcao das especies arboreas para as nao arboreas foi de 1:3. As familias com maior riqueza foram: Asteraceae (27 especies), Fabaceae (22), Myrtaceae (11). A comparacao entre seis areas de cerrado revelou grande heterogeneidade floristica uma vez que os indices de similaridade produziram valores baixos, mesmo entre areas proximas.

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Composição florística de remanescente de cerrado sensu stricto em Botucatu, SP

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar os teores de nutrientes (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Zn, Fe e Mn) e a relacao C/N, presentes na materia seca da parte aerea das seguintes especies de plantas daninhas: Ageratum conyzoides L., Amaranthus lividus L., Bidens pilosa L., Brachiaria decumbens Stapf., Brachiaria plantaginea (Link) Hitchc., Senna occidentalis (L.) Link., Commelina benghalensis L., Cyperus rotundus L., Digitaria horizontalis Willd., Euphorbia heterophylla L., Indigofera truxillensis H.B.K., Ipomoea acuminata Roem. et Schult, Panicum maximum Jacq., Raphanus raphanistrum L., Rhynchelytrum repens (Willd.) C.E. Hubb., Richardia brasiliensis Gomez e Sida cordifolia L. Os teores de macronutrientes obtidos da materia seca das plantas daninhas, foram maiores em geral nas dicotiledoneas. Em relacao as monocotiledoneas nao houve um padrao de comportamento para os micronutrientes. Entretanto, o teores de carbono foram, em media, superiores para todas as monocotiledoneas, sendo que as dicotiledoneas apresentaram relacoes C/N menores do que as monocotiledoneas.

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Rita C. S. Maimoni-Rodella

Papers

Phytochemical Evidence for the Plant Origin of Brazilian Propolis from São Paulo State

Pollination Biology of Jacaranda oxyphylla with an Emphasis on Staminode Function

Floral biology and breeding system of three Ipomoea weeds

Composição florística de remanescente de cerrado sensu stricto em Botucatu, SP

Teores de macro e micronutrientes e a relação c/n de várias espécies de plantas daninhas