Effect of propolis extract on D-galactosamine-induced hepatic injury in rats

The preventive effect of propolis extract on D-galactosamine-induced hepatic injury was examined in rats. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were significantly increased at 24 h after intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (400 mg/kg) in the animals. Propolis extract was administered orally three times in doses of 3 or 30 mg/kg at 18 h and 1 h before and 8 h after D-galactosamine injection. The extract itself and the vehicle alone (dextran) caused no significant changes in serum AST or ALT activities. Treatment with the extract dose-dependently prevented the increases in serum AST and ALT activities induced by D-galactosamine, and significant inhibition was observed at a dose of 30 mg/kg. These results suggested that propolis extract may have an ameliorating effect on hepatic dysfunction.     

Inhibitory effects of water extract of propolis on doxorubicin-induced somatic mutation and recombination in Drosophila melanogaster.

Propolis is a substance produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). Its components are strong antioxidants and free radical scavengers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of a water extract of Brazilian green propolis (WEP) combined with the antitumor agent doxorubicin (DXR) on Drosophila melanogaster wing cells through the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART). Two different crosses were used: The standard (ST) cross and the high bioactivation (HB) cross. The HB cross is characterized by a constitutively enhanced level of cytochrome P450 which leads to an increased sensitivity to a number of promutagens and procarcinogens. Larvae obtained from these two crosses were chronically treated with different concentrations of WEP (12.5,25.0 and 50.0 mg/mL) alone or combined with DXR (0.125 mg/mL). The results obtained with the two different crosses were rather similar. Neither toxicity nor genotoxicity were observed in WEP treated series. Simultaneous treatment with different concentrations of WEP and DXR led to a reduction in the frequency of recombination compared to the treatment with DXR alone. This anti-recombinogenic effect was proportional to the concentrations applied, indicating a dose-response correlation and can be attributed to the powerful scavenger ability of WEP.     

Genotoxic potential of Turkish propolis in peripheral blood lymphocytes

Propolis is a natural product that is collected by the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) from plants. The in vitro genotoxic potential of propolis in human lymphocytes was investigated. Blood samples were obtained from ten healthy (five female and five male), non-smoking and alcohol volunteers, which were incubated and exposed to increasing concentrations of propolis (5, 25, 50 and 250 mg/ml). The mean sister chromatid exchange (SCE) rates were 10.398 +/- 1.47-21.522 +/- 2.08. The differences between the control and exposed cells were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Increasing SCE rates showed that propolis could have genotoxic effects in high concentrations. SCE rates of women donors exceeded those of men donors. Women donors had the highest SCE rates (25.674 +/- 8.71, 22.456 +/- 7.97 and 15.756 +/- 5.09 for mean of SCE).     

Biological properties and clinical application of propolis. II. Studies on the antiprotozoan activity of ethanol extract of propolis.

Solutions of the ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) have shown a lethal effect on Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro. Similar lethal action was exhibited by EEP after a 24-h contact with Toxoplasma gondii.     

Spray-dried propolis extract, II: prenylated components of green propolis

The effect of spray drying conditions on the chemical composition of Brazilian green propolis extract was investigated using a factorial design and high performance liquid chromatography. The raw and dried extract contents of caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, drupanin, isosakuranetin, artepillin C, baccharin and 2,2-dimethyl-6-carboxyethenyl-2H-1-benzopyran were quantified using veratraldehyde (3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde) as internal standard. The baccharin content in spray-dried propolis was affected by the drying temperature with a 5% significance level, while the coumaric acid and drupanin contents were dependent on drying temperature at a 15% significance level. The other chemical markers, caffeic acid, isosakuranetin, artepillin C and 2,2-dimethyl-6-carboxyethenyl-2H-1-benzopyran, showed to be independent of drying conditions. However, all the chemical markers showed some loss on drying, which varied from 30 to 50%. The results showed that prenylated compounds are sensitive to drying, but their losses may be considerably reduced under low temperatures, around 40 degrees C. The antioxidant activity of the spray dried propolis was determined by the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and showed a quadratic dependency on the temperature; extract feed rate and the interaction between them. However, spray dried propolis extracts presented antioxidant activities similar to the original propolis tincturae.     

Spray-dried propolis extract. I: physicochemical and antioxidant properties

The effect of spray drying on the chemical and biological properties of alcoholic extract of green propolis was investigated. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents in spray-dried propolis extract were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the dry extract was assessed by the membrane lipid peroxidation inhibition method, using quercetin as reference. The polyphenol content was shown to depend on the drying air outlet temperature and its square at the 0.5% significance level, while the flavonoid content depended only on the square of the outlet temperature at the 5% significance level. Polyphenol and flavonoid recovery after spray-drying ranged from 45.1 to 54.9% and 30.6 to 40.8%, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the spray-dried propolis was shown to be affected by the extract feed rate and air outlet temperature at a significance level of 0.1%. The spray-dried propolis extract showed significant antioxidant activity, with 50% lipid peroxidation inhibition at concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 5.0 microg/ml.     

Effect of pine seed shell extract on microbial and viral infection.

Pretreatment of mice with ammonia extract of seed shell of Pinus Koraicenis, via the intraperitoneal or intravenous route, effectively protected them from lethal infection of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The pine seed shell extract also moderately inhibited syncytium formation and cytopathogenic effect induced by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in cultured human lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1) positive MT-4 cells. These data suggest a medicinal potential of pine seed shell extract against opportunistic infection in HIV patients.     

Biological properties and clinical application of propolis. IV. The action of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on cells cultured in vitro

An increase of total cell number was shown in the cell culture in vitro under the influence of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP). Addition of EEP to the nutrient medium of the cells caused a strong activation of mitoses. Besides, distinctly intensified metabolism of these cells expressed by a strong activation of NADH2-reductase was also observed.     

Determination of a chlorinated pesticides residue in propolis extract

On the basis of gas chromatography in 16 samples of the propolis extract (EEP) a residue of chlorinated pesticides were determined. In all investigated samples a presence of the pesticides was detected. In the analysed material a lever of HCH and DDT is low. Among the propolis samples, collected from different places in Bydgoszcz and Toruń environs the differences were not found.     

Biological properties and clinical application of propolis. X. Preliminary pharmacological evaluation of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP)

A study consisting of an examination of the acute toxicity of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) in mice, its effect on spontaneous movement in mice and rats, its analgesic properties and its influence on body temperature in mice was conducted. Also examined was the activity of EEP on animals under the influence of narcotics and spontaneous movement under the influence of amphetamine, its effects on blood pressure and respiration in rats. The results of these examinations indicate that EEP injected i.p. has a weak general effect on the experimental animals.     

Biological properties and clinical application of propolis. V. The action of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on laboratory animals. Histochemical investigations.

In the experiment on rats the ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) injections caused an activation of all experimental enzymes. The greatest effect EEP exerted was on NADPH2 tetrazolium reductase and glucose-6-phosphatase.     

Biological properties and clinical application of propolis. IX. Experimental observation on the influence of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on dental pulp regeneration

The use of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on injured dental pulp results in the stimulation of regenerative processes. A reduction of disorders of the circulatory system is observed, inflammatory and degenerative processes are also reduced.     

Effect of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on ouabain-induced arrhythmias in guinea-pigs.

1. Effects of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on ouabain-induced arrhythmias in guinea-pigs were studied. 2. Ventricular premature beats, ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest were induced in pentobarbitone-anaesthetized guinea-pigs by a slow intravenous infusion of ouabain. 3. Aspirin and indomethacin were found to accord a significant protection to the guinea-pigs against arrhythmias whereas ketoprofen was found to be ineffective. 4. It is concluded that the protective effect of aspirin and indomethacin may be due to inhibition of synthesis and release of thromboxane A2 from the myocardium.     

“芩部丹”中三种单体对结核分枝杆菌作用下TLR2表达的影响

目的观察"芩部丹"中3种单体对巨噬细胞TLR2的调节作用,以探寻其抗结核的可能作用机制。方法取黄芩苷、对叶百部碱、丹参多酚酸盐单体作用于感染结核杆菌的U937单核巨噬细胞,分别采用RT-QPCR、FACS方法检测用药前后巨噬细胞表面TLR2的表达差异。结果与模型组相比,黄芩苷、对叶百部碱、丹参多酚酸盐均具有上调TLR2表达的作用。结论 "芩部丹"中3种单体抗结核作用可能通过纠正TLR2的表达而发挥作用。     

Biological properties and clinical application of propolis. VIII. Experimental observation on the influence of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on the regeneration of bone tissue

Artificially induced bone tissue losses after the application of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) showed an accelerated rate of ossification. The osteogenetic process was just about half as long as in the control group.     

Influence of propolis water solution on heart mitochondrial function

The effect of propolis water solution (PWS) on the respiration of rat heart mitochondria with NAD-linked (pyruvate + malate), FAD-linked (succinate) substrates and fatty acids (palmitoyl-L-carnitine) was investigated in this study. PWS at the lowest concentration of 4 microg mL(-1) of phenolic compounds (PC) had no effect on mitochondrial respiration with all investigated substrates. PWS at concentrations of 63 and 125 microg mL(-1) of PC caused a significant decrease of basal (24 and 54%) and maximal (58 and 70%) respiration rates with succinate as substrate. At these PWS concentrations the oxidation of pyruvate + malate and palmitoyl-L-carnitine was diminished to a lower degree: the basal respiration rate decreased by 13-18% and the maximal respiration rate by 15-28%. Succinate oxidation was affected, probably because of the inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase by the 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid esters found in PWS. The PWS-caused decrease in the mitochondrial respiration rate with pyruvate + malate and fatty acids could be due to diminished activities of respiratory chain complexes and/or ADP/ATP translocator.