Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Apr 27;10(5):883.
doi: 10.3390/plants10050883.

Potential Role of Propolis in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

Georgeta Balica  1 , Oliviu Vostinaru  2 , Cristina Stefanescu  1 , Cristina Mogosan  2 , Irina Iaru  2 , Anamaria Cristina  2 , Carmen Elena Pop  3
Affiliations
Review

Potential Role of Propolis in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

Georgeta Balica et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

Propolis is a resinous mixture with a complex chemical composition, produced by honeybees and stingless bees from a variety of vegetal sources. In the last decades, propolis was extensively researched, multiple studies confirming its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties. More recently, due to an exponential increase in the number of patients with metabolic diseases, there is also a growing interest in the study of antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anti-obesity effects of propolis. The aim of this review was to evaluate the potential role of propolis in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity. The preclinical in vivo and in vitro pharmacological models investigating antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anti-obesity effects of propolis were reviewed with a focus on the putative mechanisms of actions of several chemical constituents. Additionally, the available clinical studies and an evaluation of the safety profile of propolis were also presented.

Keywords: anti-obesity; antidiabetic; antihyperlipidemic; propolis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Examples of mechanisms of action of selected active constituents from propolis in metabolic diseases (1—galangin, 2—pinocembrin, 3—mangiferonic acid, 4—CAPE).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Anjum S.I., Ullah A., Khan K.A., Attaullah M., Khan H., Ali H., Bashir M.A., Tahir M., Ansari M.J., Ghramh H.A., et al. Composition and functional properties of propolis (bee glue): A review. Saudi J. Biol. Sci. 2019;26:1695–1703. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2018.08.013. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bankova V.S., De Castro S.L., Marcucci M.C. Propolis: Recent advances in chemistry and plant origin. Apidologie. 2000;31:3–15. doi: 10.1051/apido:2000102. - DOI
    1. Galeotti F., Maccari F., Fachini A., Volpi N. Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Propolis Prepared in Different Forms and in Different Solvents Useful for Finished Products. Foods. 2018;7:41. doi: 10.3390/foods7030041. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Šturm L., Ulrih N.P. Advances in the Propolis Chemical Composition between 2013 and 2018: A Review. eFood. 2019;1:24. doi: 10.2991/efood.k.191029.001. - DOI
    1. Pereira R.L.R., Salatino M.L.F., Salatino A. Production of propolis and geopropolis by stingless bees. MOJ Food Process. Technol. 2020;8:1–3. doi: 10.15406/mojfpt.2020.08.00234. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources