Beneficial Effects of Propolis on Neurological Disorders

Abstract

Propolis (bee glue) is a resinous natural substance gathered by worker honeybees from certain parts (buds and barks) of plants, and thus chemical composition of propolis depends on the phytogeographic characteristics of the collection site. In different habitats, bees choose different plant species as propolis sources and consequently the chemical composition of this bee product is highly variable. In spite of different chemical composition, propolis always demonstrates similar biological activities (Banskota et al. 2001). In temperate zones, propolis originates from the bud exudates of Populus species, and therefore has relatively constant qualitative composition (Greenaway et al. 1990). In tropical regions, there are no poplars, and the bees are known to find other sources of their glue (Park et al. 2002). Honeybees use propolis for the construction and repair of their hive as well as for the defense purposes. It not only contains sticky compounds coming from various plants, but also waxes and other honeybee excretions (Castaldo and Capasso 2002). Humans use propolis as a natural remedy because of its numerous health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, and immunostimulating properties (Fig. 10.1) (Banskota et al. 2001; Kujumgiev et al. 1999; Sforcin 2007; Seidel et al. 2008). In addition, propolis is used as a popular remedy and is sold in the form of capsules, as an extract, as a mouthwash, in throat lozenges, creams, and in powder form for gargling. Propolis is also claimed to be useful in cosmetics and as a constituent of health foods. Oral administration of propolis extract also results in suppression of overall weight gain in mice, the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue weight, and the increase in serum and liver triglycerides that normally result from feeding a high-fat diet to C57BL/6N mice (Koya-Miyata et al. 2009). Real-time PCR studies indicate that the antiobesity effects of propolis extract can be attributed to reduction in the expression of fatty acid synthesis genes in the liver (Koya-Miyata et al. 2009). In addition, propolis extract also inhibits body weight gain, lower blood pressure, and liver triglycerides in obesity induced by a high-fat diet. Since it is well known that accumulation of visceral adipose tissue and hyperlipidemia associated with metabolic syndrome, these studies indicate that propolis extract may prevent and mitigate metabolic syndrome caused by excessive intake of a high-fat diet, and this may involve downregulation of lipid metabolism-related gene expression (Koya-Miyata et al. 2009). Recently, propolis is being widely used in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries as a health supplement (Banskota et al. 2001).