Download Bee Propolis: Ancient Cure for Today`s Ailments

Bee Propolis:
Ancient Cure for Today’s Ailments
By: Dana Catalfamo
Propolis
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Essentially the “glue” in bee hives.
Made of plant resin.
Preserves warmth in hive and keeps out microbes.
Has various antimicrobial properties.
Used for healing and part of “apitherapy”.
Interesting uses including violin varnish.
Used since the Ancient Greeks and Romans
discovered it.
Propolis in the Hive
(Kulincevica & Gacica, 1991)
Major Components
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Caffeic acid phenethyl ether or CAPE.
Phenolics
Terpenes
Hydrocarbons
Acids
Flavonoids
Properties of Propolis in General
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Stimulates antibody production.
Inhibits viral entry into CD4 lymphocytes, especially
against HIV-1.
Increases effectiveness of antiviral drugs such as the
reverse transcriptase inhibitor, zidovudine.
Treats opportunistic infections that plague AIDS
patients.
Decreases lymphocyte proliferation when exposed to
mitogens such as ConA.
Increases production of IFN-γ and activates
macrophages.
Interesting Properties of CAPE
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Inhibits Nuclear Transcription Factor KappaB or NFκB, which drives T-cell proliferation and effector
functions.
Anti-inflammatory activity.
Treats arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, or
IBD.
Inhibits IL-2 which also drives T-cell proliferation.
Different Geographical Samples of
Propolis
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Not much of a difference in the effectiveness
of propolis from different regions.
Most common one studied is from Brazil and
also from Bulgaria.
Increased Antibody Production
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Propolis was shown to increase antibody
production in rats immunized with bovine
serum albumin, BSA.
Acted as adjuvant.
Enhanced the activity of macrophages.
Increased Antibody Production
(Sforcin, Orsi, & Bankova, 2005)
Inhibition of NF-κB
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CAPE inhibited NF-κB binding to macrophages and
decreased cytokine production.
Tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF-α, which stimulates
macrophages to kill tumor cells was used to see if NFκB would bind.
Anti-inflammatory activity.
Macrophages underwent apoptosis in patients with
IBD leading to healing of the injuries to the colon.
Inhibition of NF-κB
(Fitzpatrick, Wang, & Le, 2001)
CAPE Induces Apoptosis in
Macrophages in Patients with IBD
(Fitzpatrick, Wang, & Le, 2001)
CAPE Reduces Injury to the Colon
(Fitzpatrick, Wang, & Le, 2001)
Inhibition of IL-2
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CAPE inhibited IL-2 leading to antiinflammatory activity.
T-cell proliferation was inhibited in samples
with Con-A, a mitogen, added.
Anti-viral Activity
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Viral entry of HIV-1 was inhibited in CD4
lymphocytes.
Effectiveness of the reverse transcriptase
inhibitor, zidovudine, was increased.
Virus was kept from proliferating.
HUGE BREAKTHROUGH!!!!! 
Propolis Decreased Viral Expression
in CD4 Cells
(Gekker, Hu, Spivak, Lokensgard, & Peterson, 2005)
Propolis Increases Effectiveness of
Anti-viral Drugs
(Gekker et. al, 2005)
Treatment for AIDS Patients
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Propolis treats opportunistic fungal infections
such as thrush and leukoplakia.
Kept infections from coming back and
alleviated symptoms.
Increased the immune response.
Increased Production of IFN-γ
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Propolis increased IFN-γ production leading to
the antigen being presented on cells and the
immune response starting to clear it faster.
Mitogen infected cells did not show
proliferation that would normally happen.
Kept mitogen from working.
Propolis Inhibits Mitogen Activity
Pharmacology
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No recommended dose.
Capsules, liquid, lozenges, tablets, creams,
gels, toothpastes, mouth rinses, and cough
syrups.
Well tolerated unless a person is allergic to a
component of propolis.
If allergic, hives result.
Summary
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Propolis is an effective anti-inflammatory
agent.
Can be used to help AIDS patients.
Controls inflammatory diseases.
Increases effectiveness of immune system.
Mechanisms are not known yet.
HERBAL MEDICINE IS GOOD!! 
Ancient cure for today’s ailments.
Works Cited
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Devillers, J., & Pham-Delegue, M. (2002). Honey Bees: Estimating the
Environmental Impact of Chemicals. New York: Taylor & Francis Inc.
Ellis, H. (2004). Sweetness & Light. New York: Harmony Books.
Fitzpatrick, L.R., Wang, J., & Le, T. (2001 December). Caffeic acid phenethyl ester,
an inhibitor of nuclear factor-KB, attenuates bacterial peptidoglycan polysaccharide-induced colitis in rats. The Journal of Pharmacology and
Experimental Therapeutics, (299(3), 915-920. Retrieved October 23, 2005,
from PubMed database, On the World Wide Web: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.
gov/entrez
Gekker, G., Hu, S., Spivak, M., Lokensgard, J.R., & Peterson, P.K. (2005, May).
Anti-HIV-1 activity of propolis in CD4+ lymphocyte and microglial cellcultures. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 102(1), 158-163.
Retrieved September 2, 2005, from ScienceDirect database, On the World Wide Web: http://www.sciencedirect.com
Hubbell, S. (1988). A Book of Bees… and How to Keep Them. New York:
Random House Inc.
James, J.S. (1987, July 31). Bee Propolis for Thrush, Fungus or Leukoplakia?
AIDS Treatment News, 1(37), Retrieved September 19, 2005, from the
World Wide Web: http://www.aids.org/atn/a-037-01.html
Kulinčevića, J. & Gačića, R. (1991). Propolis. Retrieved November 14, 2005,
from the World Wide Web: http://www.pcelar.co.yu/propolis.htm
Marquez, N., Sancho, R., Macho, A., Calzado, M.A., Fiebich, B.L., & Munoz, E.
(2003, November 14). Caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibits t-cell activation
by targeting both nuclear factor of activated t-cells and NF-KB transcription
factors. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Fast
Forward, 308(3), 993-1001. Retrieved October 23, 2005, from PubMed
database, On the World Wide Web: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez
Parham, P. (2005). The Immune System. New York: Garland Science.
Propolis. (2005). Retrieved September 19, 2005, from the World Wide Web:
http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/pro_0294.shtml
Sa-Nunes, A., Faccioli, L.H., & Sforcin, J.M. (2003). Propolis: lymphocyte
proliferation and IFN-γ production. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 87, 9397. Retrieved October 19, 2005, from ScienceDirect database, On the World
Wide Web: http://www.sciencedirect.com
Sforcin, J.M., Orsi, R.O., & Bankova, V. (2005, April). Effects of propolis, some
isolated compounds and its source plant on antibody production. Journal of
Ethnopharmacology, 98(3), 301-305. Retrieved September 19, 2005, from ScienceDirect database, On the World Wide Web:
http://www.sciencedirect.com