Bee Propolis, is a sticky resin that seeps from the buds of some trees and oozes from the bark of other trees, chiefly conifers. The chemical composition of propolis depends on the type of plants accessible to the bees. Approximately 200 different compounds have been identified so far in propolis. Flavonoids are abundant, including apigenin, kaempferol, galangin, luteolin, quercetin, pinocembrin and pinostrobin. The composition of the propolis depends on the botanical ecology of each area and can still suffer influence of the genetic variety of the queens.
Propolis Benefits
General medicinal uses of propolis include treatment of the cardiovascular and blood systems, dental care, dermatology, immune system support and improvement, cancer, digestive tracts, liver protection and support and many others.
Antibiotic
Preliminary studies suggest may be active against viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms when applied topically. Bee propolis has been shown to fight bacterial strains that have become resistant to chemical antibiotics. The concentrations of flavonoids seem to be responsible for the important antibiotic effects. bee propolis has the ability to directly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and penicillin-resistant staphylococcus. Australian scientists, showed that propolis increases the effectiveness of penicillin or other antibiotics from 10 to 100 folds. Used as mouthwash, it may reduce bacteria in the mouth, reduce the formation of plaque and relieve dental pain and gum inflammation.
Herpes
Herpes, is the name of a group of viruses that cause painful blisters and sores. There are two types of herpes simplex viruses. Type 2 (HSV-2 ) causes genital herpes, while Type 1 (HSV-1) causes cold sores and sometimes genital herpes. Genital herpes affects the genitals or anal area. Oral herpes causes cold sores around the mouth or face. Drugs including Famvir, Valtrex and Zovirax, are among the medications used to treat the symptoms of herpes. Test tube studies show it can stop HSV-2 and HSV-1 from reproducing. Applying a 3% propolis cream might improve healing of recurrent genital lesions caused by herpes simplex virus type 2. In a study, 90 men and women with recurrent genital HSV2 were divided into 2 groups to compare the healing ability of propolis ointment versus acyclovir ointment and placebo. After 10 days, 80 % of patients in the propolis group had healed versus 47 % in the acyclovir group and 40 % in the placebo group. The topical propolis cream has produced better results than Zovirax cream, a medication usually prescribed to treat genital herpes outbreaks.
Ulcers
In a study 34 patients with chronic ulcers were given extracts of propolis daily for 2 weeks. The results were impressive, with 28 patients completely improvement and 6 cases dramatically improving. In a study involving 294 patients; found that 90% of 108 ulcer patients given propolis were free of symptoms after 2 weeks, compared to only 55% of 186 standard treated patients.
Burns
Studies indicate that it may be effective in treating skin burns. Ointments made of propolis are as effective as the medically prescribed burn creams. Research finds, comparable to silver sulfadiazine in treating second-degree burns. Propolis has been shown to stimulate different enzyme systems, cell metabolism, circulation and collagen formation, as well as improve the healing of burn wounds.
Warts
Common warts are local growths in the skin that are caused by human papillomavirus infection. The virus causes keratin, a hard protein in the epidermis to grow too fast. Are usually found singly or in clusters in your skin. As reported in the International Journal of Dermatology in November of 2009, scientists identified that propolis shows strong activity against warts. In a 3-month study, 135 patients with different types of warts received oral propolis, echinacea, or placebo. In patients with common warts treated with propolis, cure was achieved in 75% and 73% of patients, respectively. The scientists conclude that propolis is an effective and safe immunomodulating therapy for common warts.
Antiinflammatory
CAPE (Caffeic acid phenethyl ester), an active component of propolis, has been proven to have anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties. There are reports in the literature, of the usage with success, of ethanolic extracts of propolis in lab studies. It was also observed that caffeic acid phenyl ester are strong LOX inhibitors, suppressing leukotriene production by peritoneal macrophages. In several models in vitro, propolis presented an inhibition of the plaquetary aggregation and of the eicosanoid synthesis, suggesting that it possesses a powerful anti-inflammatory activity.
Immune System
Propolis enhances the immune system. There are two effect of propolis. Seem to inhibit cellular growth. Also, they can increase the presence of certain white immune cells like T-lymphocytes, increasing hydrogen peroxide production without any simultaneous and damaging nitrite production, which usually occurs with macrophage activity. In a article published in 2007 in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, reported that propolis increased the activity of macrophages and natural killer cells and the production of antibodies. Another way in which propolis aids the immune system is its ability to strengthen phagocyte feature. Phagocytes are the white blood cells that protect the body by ingesting harmful foreign particles, bacteria, and dead or dying cells.
Cancer
Since bee propolis contains anti-cancer ingredients caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and artepillin C, both of which block the oncogenic PAK1 signaling pathways, its possible therapeutic effects on NF tumors were explored in vivo. The PAK 1 is understood to be responsible for the activation of molecules fostering cellular division, the survival of cancer cells, the invasion of the body by the tumor and the development of blood vessels within the tumor. The compound caffeic acid phenethyl ester found in propolis is the important cancer-suppressing ingredient. This compound was found to induce apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer cells and colon cancer cells. İnhibited the growth of C6 glioma cells in vitro and in vivo. Where CAPE (Caffeic acid phenethyl ester) was taken orally by mice with lung tumours, a reduction of tumour size of 50 % was noted. In a study conducted in Germany, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) repressed the growth of neurofibromatosis tumors in laboratory. Artepillin C ; has been isolated from propolis and has been shown to have cytotoxic effect on human lung cancer cells, human gastric carcinoma cells and mouse colon carcinoma cells in vitro. In a survey conducted in 2007 observed a significant reduction in the emergence of new blood vessels within the tumor in mice treated orally with Artepillin C. Shown that intratumoral injections of 500 mgs of Artepillin C produced apoptosis and an increase in immune defenses. More than 70% of cancers are PAK1 dependant and Artepillin C appears to be a very strong blocking agent of PAK1.
Propolis Dosage
The recommended dosage is 500 mg once or twice each day. For herpes : A 3% propolis cream applied to the blisters 4 times daily. dental health; A dose of 10 milliliters of 0.2% to 10% propolis ethanol extract mouthwash has been used once or twice daily for dental plaque.
Propolis Side Effects
Reports of irritation in and around the mouth have occurred after use of propolis lozenges or extract taken by mouth. In some people, use of propolis also can lead to to side effects, such as swelling, fluid collection, redness, burning and fever. Anaphylactic shock might occur to those with extreme allergies.
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