Herbs and plantsPropolis—the bee antibiotic that puts the medicine cabinet to shame?
Sources: 13 · Article: 16 460 characters
- Henryk Różański — Propolis – właściwości lecznicze
- Henryk Różański — Propolis
- Henryk Różański — Mięta – Mentha w medycynie i kosmetyce
- Henryk Różański — Resina Guaiaci = Guajaci et Guaiacol – żywica gwajakowa i gwajakol; nieprzyjemny zapach z ust, cz. III
- Henryk Różański — Parabeny a mleczko pszczele i propolis; komentarz Pani Ewy
- Antibacterial Effects of Various Types of Bee Products in Malaysia: A Systematic Review. · Malays J Med Sci 2024
- Antibacterial Properties of Propolis. · Molecules 2019
- Antibacterial activity of Chinese propolis and its synergy with β-lactams against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. · Braz J Microbiol 2022
- Propolis antibacterial and antioxidant synergisms with gentamicin and honey. · J Appl Microbiol 2022
- Propolis in Dental Implantology: A Systematic Review of Its Effects and Benefits. · J Funct Biomater 2024
- Orthomolecular Medicine News Service — The Transformative Effects of High-Dose Thiamine Therapy: Dr Derrick Lonsdale's Legacy
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Henryk Różański calls a mixture of propolis, guaiacol, and essential oils an alternative to antibiotics.
- According to the author, propolis’s antibacterial effect depends on the solvent; in alcohol at a concentration of 70% or higher, it is said to act bacteriostatically and bactericidally.
- The composition of propolis can vary greatly, and petroleum-derived compounds have been found in some samples tested.
- Propolis may enhance the effects of some antibiotics, and bee products may cause allergic reactions.
What the authors write
Henryk Różański
Propolis has been attributed with bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and antifungal effects.
„Even in Europe, the composition of ethanol extracts of propolis varies greatly, as shown by the following data:
- aromatic compounds, free phenols, volatile with steam: 1–7%
- other phenols: 0.2–2%
- phenolic acids: 2–17%
- phenolic acid esters: 5–20%
- flavanones and dihydroflavonols: 1–39%
- flavones and flavonols: 1–23%
- chalcones: 0.4–4%
- phenolic glycerides: 1–23%
Medicinal properties:
- bacteriostatic, bactericidal, fungistatic, fungicidal, antiprotozoal (disinfectant);
- antiviral;
- anticoagulant and heart attack prevention;
- increased force of heart contractions;
- dilation of the coronary arteries;
- enhanced effects of cardiac glycosides taken at the same time;
- hypotensive in high blood pressure (lowering blood pressure by about”W samej Europie zmienność składu ekstraktów etanolowych propolisu jest bardzo duża, co przedstawiają poniższe dane:- związki aromatyczne, wolne fenole, lotne z parą wodną: 1-7%- fenole inne: 0,2-2%- kwasy fenolowe: 2-17%- estry kwasów fenolowych: 5-20%- flawanony i dihydroflawonole 1-39%- flawony i flawonole: 1-23%- chalkony: 0,4-4%- glicerydy fenolowe: 1-23%
Właściwości lecznicze:- bakteriostatyczne, bakteriobójcze, fungistatyczne, grzybobójcze, przeciwpierwotniakowe (odkażające);- przeciwwirusowe;- przeciwzakrzepowe i przeciwzawałowe;- wzmaganie czynności skurczowych serca;- rozszerzanie naczyń wieńcowych serca;- wzmaganie działania glikozydów nasercowych równocześnie zażywanych;- hipotensyjne przy nadciśnieniu (obniżające ciśnienie tętnicze krwi o ok.
Henryk Różański
The composition of propolis can vary greatly, and some samples tested contained petroleum-derived compounds.
„What annoyed me most were the chromatograms of propolis bought from different sources—the qualitative composition differed enormously, not to mention the quantities. I wondered how it could produce consistent therapeutic results when qualitative differences reached as much as 40%; in Poland, there are no regulations or methods governing the standardization and approval of propolis for commercial sale. I remember that some propolis samples contained petroleum-derived compounds (asphalt, mazut resins, construction adhesives), which I demonstrated in 1998–2000, when I was working intensively and enthusiastically on the toxicology of petroleum hydrocarbons.”Najbardziej mnie wkurzyły chromatogramy propolisów zakupionych z różnych źródeł – kolosalne różnice w składzie jakościowym, nie wspomnę tutaj o ilościówce. Pomyślałem sobie, jak to może dawać powtarzalne wyniki terapeutyczne, skoro różnice jakościowe sięgają nawet 40%; w Polsce brak przepisów i metod regulujących standaryzację i dopuszczenie propolisu do obrotu handlowego. Pamietam, że niektóre propolisy zawierały związki ropopochodne (asfalt, żywice mazutowe, lepiki budowlane), co wykazałem w latach 1998-2000, kiedy to zajmowałem się intensywnie i z zapałem toksykologią węglowodorów naftowych.
Henryk Różański
Propolis’s antibacterial effect depends on the solvent used; in alcohol at 70% or stronger, it is said to act bacteriostatically and bactericidally.
„Propolis dissolved in alcohol at 70% or higher must act bacteriostatically and bactericidally. But if we use another solvent, such as various oils, propolis at a concentration of 1 or 2% may not only become moldy, but bacteria may also go wild in it, as if in primordial broth.”Propolis rozpuszczony w alkoholu 70% i wyższym musi działać bakteriostatycznie i bakteriobójczo. Jednak gdy użyjemy innego rozpuszczalnika, np. rozmaite oleje, to propolis w stężeniu 1, czy 2 % nie dość, że może zapleśnieć, to jeszcze szaleją w nim bakterie niczym w prabulionie.
Henryk Różański
According to the author, propolis enhances and complements the antibacterial and antifungal effects of some antibiotics.
„Pharmacological synergy (beneficial use of propolis together with certain medicines):
- enhancement of the blood pressure-lowering and anti-atherosclerotic effects of mistletoe preparations;
- enhancement and complementation of the antibacterial and antifungal effects of antibiotics, sulfonamides, and phytoncides;
- enhancement and complementation of the anti-inflammatory effects of salicylates, benzydamine, and ibuprofen;
- propolis has a stronger antimicrobial effect in the presence of copper and silver;
- propolis acts synergistically with selenium and vitamin C.”Synergizm farmakologiczny (korzystne kojarzenie propolisu z niektórymi lekami)- wzmaganie działania preparatów jemioły w zakresie właściwości obniżania ciśnienia krwi i przecimiażdżycowych;- wzmaganie i uzupełnianie działania przeciwbakteryjnego i przeciwgrzybiczego antybiotyków, sulfonamidów i fitoncydów;- wzmaganie i uzupełnianie działania przeciwzapalnego salicylanów, benzydaminy i ibuprofenu;- propolis działa silniej przeciwdrobnoustrojowo w obecności miedzi i srebra;- propolis wykazuje synergizm z selenem i witaminą C.
Henryk Różański
The author calls a mixture of propolis, guaiacol, and essential oils an alternative to antibiotics and attributes to it activity against bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi.
„This is an alternative to antibiotics. Apply it with a brush to infected areas, slow-healing wounds, oral thrush, and canker sores several times a day. It inhibits the growth of resistant bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. Excellent for treating candidiasis. Effective against bad breath.”Jest to alternatywa dla antybiotyków. Zakażone miejsca, trudno gojące się rany, pleśniawki, afty pędzlować kilka razy dziennie. Hamuje rozwój opornych bakterii, wirusów, pierwotniaków, grzybów. Doskonały w leczeniu kandydozy. Skuteczny w zwalczaniu nieprzyjemnego zapachu z ust.
Henryk Różański
In some ready-made preparations, propolis may settle to the bottom, so doses do not contain the same concentration of the active ingredient.
„When a patient takes a dose of this kind of medicine, they drink a solution without propolis, and then, when shaking out the remaining medicine at the end, they get a thick suspension from the bottom—not to mention the propolis that remains stuck to the bottom and sides of the bottle. So what do we get? A preventive and therapeutic product (or supplement) in which the manufacturer has not ensured a consistent concentration of the active ingredient.”Pacjent biorąc dawkę takiego leku, pije roztwór pozbawiony propolisu, a na końcu wytrzepując resztki leku dostaje gęstą zawiesinę z dna, nie mówiąc o tej nie odzyskanej oblepiającej dno i ścianki buteleczki. Zatem co uzyskujemy: preparat profilaktyczno-leczniczy (albo suplement), w którym producent nie zapewnił jednakowego stężenia substancji czynnej.
Henryk Różański
The author recommends raw, unprocessed propolis and says that he has used various propolis preparations himself with good results.
„I have been making various propolis preparations for a long time and using them with good results. After follow-up tests conducted at my institute, I lost confidence in propolis preparations from some companies. That is why I now prefer to buy raw material from a beekeeper and make the preparation I have planned myself. I recommend choosing raw propolis, not melted and processed (it is then heated to over 100 degrees C), sorted, or sifted.”Od dawna przygotowuję różne preparaty z propolisu i stosuję je z dobrym skutkiem. Po badaniach kontrolnych prowadzonych w moim instytucie straciłem zaufanie do preparatów propolisu niektórych firm, dlatego teraz wolę kupić surowiec u pszczelarza i samodzielnie sporządzić zaplanowany preparat. Polecam wybierać propolis surowy, a nie przetapiany (podgrzewany jest wtedy do ponad 100 stopni C) i selekcjonowany, czy odsiewany.
Henryk Różański
The author suggests taking propolis preventively before the season when infections become more common.
„There is no doubt that changes in the weather also affect how the immune system functions, and it often shows a decline in the autumn and winter. I suggest starting to take propolis preventively now. Propolis, or bee glue, is a repair and protective material produced by bees.”Niewątpliwie zmiany pogody wpływają również na funkcjonowanie układu odpornościowego, który często w okresie jesienno-zimowym wykazuje regresję.Już teraz proponuję zażywanie profilaktyczne propolisu. Propolis, czyli kit pszczeli jest materiałem naprawczym i ochronnym, wytwarzanym przez pszczoły.
Henryk Różański
Some people may be allergic to bee products, including propolis.
„We all know that some people in society are allergic (hypersensitive) to bee products, such as venom, royal jelly, propolis, or even honey. But these people have a choice: if propolis does not agree with them, they do not buy or use it. Even if we accept that propolis contains parabens, we should immediately ask ourselves: do we rub propolis into our skin regularly every day? Do we consume propolis every day for years?”Wszyscy wiemy, że w społeczeństwie są osoby uczulone (nadwrażliwe) na preparaty pszczele, np. jad, mleczko,propolis, a nawet miód. Ci ludzie mają jednak wybór: jeśli im nie służy propolis – nie kupują go i nie stosują. Jeśli nawet przyjmiemy, że propolis zawiera parabeny, to trzeba sobie od razu odpowiedzieć na pytanie: czy codziennie regularnie wcieramy propolis w skórę?, czy codziennie spożywamy, latami propolis?
Research from PubMed · Europe PMC
We selected 5 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.
Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 753.
The review found that most of the studies analyzed reported antibacterial activity of propolis against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Aim of the study: Antibiotics are widely used to treat bacterial infections. The effectiveness of antibiotics is very important, but unfortunately, prolonged exposure leads to the development of antibiotic resistance in some bacteria.
Results: Five electronic databases: i) PubMed; ii) ScienceDirect; iii) Scopus; iv) Web of Science Core Collection and v) Google Scholar, were searched for relevant articles. A total of 153 articles were obtained from the initial search. Of these, 32 articles, including 24 on honey, eight on propolis and one on bee bread, were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most studies reported that honey, propolis and bee bread demonstrated antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · The Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education
Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so
Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO
Type of studyreview of many studies
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
A review of more than 600 strains confirmed that propolis is more active against Gram-positive bacteria than against Gram-negative bacteria.
Aim of the study: Researchers are continuing to discover all the properties of propolis due to its complex composition and associated broad spectrum of activities. This review aims to characterize the latest scientific reports in the field of antibacterial activity of this substance.
Results: The greater activity of propolis against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative was confirmed. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of propolis from different regions of the world was compared. As a result, high activity of propolis from the Middle East was found in relation to both, Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) strains. Simultaneously, the lowest activity was demonstrated for propolis samples from Germany, Ireland and Korea.
Money for the studynot stated
Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so
Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO
Type of studyanimal study
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
In a laboratory study, Chinese propolis extract acted against MRSA and showed a synergistic effect when combined with some antibiotics.
Aim of the study: Propolis has exhibited effective antibacterial activities in preventing the growth of multiple pathogenic bacteria. However, the antibacterial activity of Chinese propolis against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is almost unknown.
Results: Nucleic acid and protein leakage assays showed that CPEE can stimulate the release of intracellular macromolecules by damaging the cell membrane integrity of MRSA. Live/dead-staining and SDS-PAGE assays further confirmed that CPEE could inhibit bacterial activities by disrupting the membrane. The reduction in PBP2a expression and β-lactamase activity, as shown by western blot and β-lactamase detection assays, suggested that CPEE was able to reverse the drug resistance of MRSA. These results demonstrated the anti-MRSA activity of CPEE was mainly due to changing the cell membrane and reversing resistance, which indicates that CPEE could be an attractive candidate for use in future food and medical applications.
Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation, Doctoral Research Foundation of Liaocheng University, Shandong Province Modern Agricultural Technology System
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studylaboratory study (on cells)
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
In a laboratory study, propolis enhanced the effect of gentamicin and could allow its therapeutic dose to be reduced.
Aim of the study: Assess the antibacterial and antioxidant effects of ethanol extracts of Portuguese propolis samples when combined with gentamicin, a widely used aminoglycoside antibiotic, or with honey, collected from the same apiary as propolis.
Results: Using the agar dilution method and DPPH free radical scavenging assay, antimicrobial and antioxidant synergistic effects between propolis and gentamicin or honey were assessed. Synergism between propolis and gentamicin was observed for all the tested extracts and against all the indicator bacteria, with particular interest against the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with a threefold decrease of the gentamicin MIC if mixed with 25 µg ml-1 propolis. Likely to propolis and gentamicin, mixtures of sub-MIC concentrations of propolis and honey enhanced the antibacterial action of each individual natural product against the majority of the strains. However, propolis antioxidant capacity decreased along with higher honey content in the mixture. Propolis has a strong synergistic effect when combined with gentamicin, allowing the reduction of the therapeutic dose of this drug.
Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · Doctoral Programme “Agricultural Production Chains – from fork to farm”, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Doctoral Programme "Agricultural Production Chains - from fork to farm"
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studylaboratory study (on cells)
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
A review of dental studies found that propolis increased antibacterial and antifungal activity against several microorganisms associated with infections around implants.
Aim of the study: Dental implants are widely recognized for their effectiveness in restoring missing teeth, yet their success is often compromised by infections or inadequate osseointegration. Propolis, a natural resinous substance with potent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and osteogenic properties, has emerged as a promising adjunct in dental implantology.
Results: The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of propolis further contribute to a favorable healing environment, enhancing the long-term success of dental implants. The systematic review underscores the potential of propolis as a safe, biocompatible, and effective material for improving dental implant outcomes. However, it also identifies the need for more extensive clinical trials to fully establish standardized protocols for propolis application in implantology. This review provides an overview of propolis's potential role in dental implants and suggests promising avenues for future research to optimize its benefits in clinical practice.
Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · Medical Research Agency ABM, Poland
Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so
Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO
Type of studyreview of many studies
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
Perspectives and opinion materials
The content below presents the authors’ opinions, interpretations and hypotheses. It is not treated as equal to scientific studies and systematic reviews.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„Disruptions of cerebral thiamine homeostasis and glucose metabolism have been identified (62), and activity of three thiamine-dependent enzymes are reduced in the brain (63,64). One of those is KGDH, whose activity is reduced by as much as 57% (65,66) which occurs in both genetic (67) and sporadic (68) forms of AD.”Disruptions of cerebral thiamine homeostasis and glucose metabolism have been identified (62), and activity of three thiamine-dependent enzymes are reduced in the brain (63,64). One of those is KGDH, whose activity is reduced by as much as 57% (65,66) which occurs in both genetic (67) and sporadic (68) forms of AD.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„Excess oxidative stress impairs fibroblast function, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and osteoblast activity [1, 2]. At the same time, physiologic redox signaling is essential for repair. The critical question is whether the patient possesses sufficient reduction capacity to resolve the oxidative burden. A Widespread Terrain Problem Systemic insufficiency is common: Vitamin D insufficiency (commonly defined as serum 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL) affects an estimated 50-80% of adults globally [3].”Excess oxidative stress impairs fibroblast function, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and osteoblast activity [1, 2]. At the same time, physiologic redox signaling is essential for repair. The critical question is whether the patient possesses sufficient reduction capacity to resolve the oxidative burden. A Widespread Terrain Problem Systemic insufficiency is common: Vitamin D insufficiency (commonly defined as serum 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL) affects an estimated 50-80% of adults globally [3].
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„(1975) Virucidal activity of vitamin C: Vitamin C for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases. Proceedings of the First Intersectional Congress of Microbiological societies, Science Council of Japan, 3:432-42. Saul AW. (2020) Vitamin C Protects Against Coronavirus.”(1975) Virucidal activity of vitamin C: Vitamin C for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases. Proceedings of the First Intersectional Congress of Microbiological societies, Science Council of Japan, 3:432-42. Saul AW. (2020) Vitamin C Protects Against Coronavirus.
Intravenous Vitamin C Treatment, Coronavirus, hospital, high doses, antiviral, vitamin C, instructions for intravenous vitamin C, Intravenous Therapy, acute viral infections, influenza, herpes zoster, common cold, rubella, mumps, idiopathic sudden hearing loss, Bell's palsy, IVC, viral infections, Vitamin C, Magnesium sulfate, Vitamin B complex, depletion of vitamin C, therapy for sepsis, administering vitamin C intravenously, pneumonia-like virus, Riordan Clinic, Intravenous Vitamin C Protoc Pisaczek does not judge who is right. It shows what was written and where to read it. Every sentence above has its source.