A Literature Review on the Benefits of Propolis

Propolis is a natural aromatic and sticky substance collected by bees from plant resins. These plant sources mainly consist of plant exudates from bark and buds that contain various health care compounds forming the main active ingredients of propolis. These compounds result in propolis exhibiting diverse biological activities, making them popular remedies worldwide. The first chapter of this book aims to review the plant material, chemical composition, and antimicrobial activities of European propolis and to compare it with others from similar geographical regions. The relevance of this review chapter is based on its specific aim - to find the similarities between the chemical composition and properties of plant sources and propolis. The second chapter focuses on propolis as an adjunct therapy in many chronic diseases with inflammatory and oxidative backgrounds such as CVDs, NAFLD, MetS, and diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders. The third chapter provides an overview of the chemical compositions, biological properties of propolis of different stingless bee species and its geographical origins, and recent advances in therapeutic and pharmacological research. In this respect, advanced biological research related to the chemical diversity of propolis is highlighted. The fourth chapter summarizes the extraction methods utilized in the commercial production of propolis. These methods, to name a few, are the commonly used maceration, ultrasonication, microwave extraction, supercritical extraction, and accelerated solvent extraction. The advantages and disadvantages of classical and modern extraction methods in their application for large-scale commercial applications are discussed. In Chapter Five, recent studies of propolis and its potential pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications are examined. In Chapter Six, the antioxidant capacity of several commercially available bee propolis products are reviewed. Results showed a direct correlation between phenolic content and antioxidant capabilities. The last chapter discusses the different assays performed in determining the antioxidant properties of propolis samples collected from around the world.