Recent Progress of Propolis for Its Biological and Chemical Compositions and Its Botanical Origin

TLDR

Propolis, a resinous substance collected by bees from plant sources, is widely used in folk medicine and exhibits diverse biological activities that depend on its phenolic composition, which varies with geographic origin, plant availability, bee genetics, production methods, and season. This review surveys recent publications and patents on propolis, focusing on its biological constituents and applications.

Abstract

Propolis is the generic name given to the product obtained from resinous substances, which is gummy and balsamic and which is collected by bees from flowers, buds, and exudates of plants. It is a popular folk medicine possessing a broad spectrum of biological activities. These biological properties are related to its chemical composition and more specifically to the phenolic compounds that vary in their structure and concentration depending on the region of production, availability of sources to collect plant resins, genetic variability of the queen bee, the technique used for production, and the season in which propolis is produced. Many scientific articles are published every year in different international journal, and several groups of researchers have focused their attention on the chemical compounds and biological activity of propolis. This paper presents a review on the publications on propolis and patents of applications and biological constituents of propolis.