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Review
. 2020 Jul;33(4):e13780.
doi: 10.1111/dth.13780. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Back to the basics: Propolis and COVID-19

Dimitri Bachevski  1 , Katerina Damevska  1 , Viktor Simeonovski  1 , Maja Dimova  1
Affiliations
Review

Back to the basics: Propolis and COVID-19

Dimitri Bachevski et al. Dermatol Ther. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

The epidemiological burden of COVID-19 is a healthcare challenge throughout the world, not only in terms of testing the limits of medical capacities, but also as an enigma considering preventive strategies and methods. The upper respiratory tract mucosa is the first line of defense, as a physical barrier, as well as through multiple innate and adaptive immune mechanisms which are crucial for efficient antiviral responses. Identifying methods able to reduce or prevent colonization, viral adhesion, and promote virus shedding on mucous membranes or have the ability to inactivate pathogens and thus reduce virus dose and/or increase immune response would be essential in the management of COVID-19 outbreak and help in flattening the curve. We review the effects of propolis, an old remedy with proven antiviral properties, as a possible low-cost inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 in the oropharyngeal niche, prophylaxis, or adjuvant therapy.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; prevention; propolis; quercetin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Raw propolis cannot be used, and it must be purified by extraction with solvents, to remove the inert material, and preserve the polyphenolic fraction
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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