The Chemical and Biological Properties of Propolis

Abstract

Bees produce several different products which have health benefits. There is no doubt that honey has a highly significant status in medical treatments, while other apian materials, such as wax, royal jelly and propolis, have fewer medical applications, despite the fact that propolis has been used by people since ancient times (Burdock 1998; Ghisalberti 1979). The term propolis comes from two Greek words, pro (which means for or in defence of) and polis (which means the city); thus propolis means in defence of the city or beehive (Ghisalberti 1979). Propolis is a sticky resinous substance, which is gathered from buds and the bark of trees. It is also known as “bee glue” as bees use it to cover surfaces, seal holes and close gaps in their hives, thus providing a sterile environment that protects them from microbes