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Review
. 2021 May 14;26(10):2930.
doi: 10.3390/molecules26102930.

Propolis Extract and Its Bioactive Compounds-From Traditional to Modern Extraction Technologies

Jelena Šuran  1 , Ivica Cepanec  2 , Tomislav Mašek  3 , Božo Radić  4 , Saša Radić  4 , Ivana Tlak Gajger  5 , Josipa Vlainić  6
Affiliations
Review

Propolis Extract and Its Bioactive Compounds-From Traditional to Modern Extraction Technologies

Jelena Šuran et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Propolis is a honeybee product known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial effects. It is rich in bioactive molecules whose content varies depending on the botanical and geographical origin of propolis. These bioactive molecules have been studied individually and as a part of propolis extracts, as they can be used as representative markers for propolis standardization. Here, we compare the pharmacological effects of representative polyphenols and whole propolis extracts. Based on the literature data, polyphenols and extracts act by suppressing similar targets, from pro-inflammatory TNF/NF-κB to the pro-proliferative MAPK/ERK pathway. In addition, they activate similar antioxidant mechanisms of action, like Nrf2-ARE intracellular antioxidant pathway, and they all have antimicrobial activity. These similarities do not imply that we should attribute the action of propolis solely to the most representative compounds. Moreover, its pharmacological effects will depend on the efficacy of these compounds' extraction. Thus, we also give an overview of different propolis extraction technologies, from traditional to modern ones, which are environmentally friendlier. These technologies belong to an open research area that needs further effective solutions in terms of well-standardized liquid and solid extracts, which would be reliable in their pharmacological effects, environmentally friendly, and sustainable for production.

Keywords: extraction; polyphenols; propolis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors B.R. and S.R. are affiliated with Hedera, specializing in honeybee products since 1989. The authors J.Š. and B.R. are the co-owners of the company Apiotix Technologies, an R&D pharmaceutical company with a focus on natural extracts. All other authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Two types of collector traps and harvested raw propolis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Molecular structures of representative Brazilian and Cuban propolis markers: 3,5-diprenyl-4-hidroxycinnamic acid (1), 3-prenylcinnamic acid allyl ester (2), formononetin (3), isoliquiritigenin (4), nemorosone (5a,b).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Molecular structures of representative Brazilian geopropolis markers: gallic acid (6), ellagic acid (7).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Molecular structures of representative poplar propolis markers: chrysin (8), galangin (9), pinocembrin (10), pinobanksin-3O-acetate (11), caffeic acid (12), p-coumaric acid (13), ferulic acid (14), 3,4-dimethoxycaffeic acid (15; DMCA), caffeic acid prenyl (16), benzyl (17), phenylethyl (18; CAPE), cinnamyl esters (19).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Molecular structures of protocatechuic acid (20) and kaempferol (21).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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