Propolis as a novel antibacterial agent

Abstract

Propolis (bee glue) is a bee glue, sticky resinous material released from various plant sources such as bud exudates, flowers, and leaves modified by bee secretions and wax propolis is composed of resins, waxes, polyphenols, polysaccharides, volatile materials, and secondary metabolites that are responsible for various bioactivity such as antibacterial, anti-angiogenic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-viral activities. The physico-chemical characteristics and the natural properties of various kinds of propolis have been studied for the past decade. Novel active anti-microbial compounds have been identified in propolis. Those compounds positively modulated the antimicrobial resistance of multidrug resistant bacteria. Published research has indicated that propolis and its derivatives has many natural antimicrobial compounds with a broad spectrum against different types of bacteria and that it enhanced the efficacy of conventional antibiotics. Besides, the combination of propolis with other compounds such as honey has been studied whereby, such combinations have a synergistic effect against bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The activity of propolis is very much dependent on seasonal and regional factors, and Middle Eastern propolis have shown best antibacterial efficacy. Propolis and its main flavonoids ingredients should not be overlooked and should be evaluated in clinical trials to better elucidate their potential application in various fields of medicine. Clinical antibacterial potential and its use in new drugs of biotechnological products should be conducted. This review aims at highlighting some of the recent scientific findings associated with the antibacterial properties of propolis and its components.

Keywords: Propolis; antibacterial; antimicrobial resistance; noval products; synergistic effects.

Fig. 1

Proportion of chemical composition of propolis ().

Fig. 2

Mechanism action of propolis as anti-bacterial agent (A) The active components of propolis attached on the cytoplasmic membrane of bacterial cell and then the structural integrity has been damaged leading to perforation of the membrane where the cytoplasmic content expelled outside and leading to cell death (B) flavonoids may result in the inhibition of topoisomerase IV-dependent deactivation activity and lead to (associated cellular response and is known as SOS ‘save our ship’ or ‘save our souls’) growth inhibition of bacterial cells.