Present State of Basic Studies on Propolis in Japan

Abstract

In October 1985, the 30th International Apicultural Congress held in Nagoya first introduced propolis into Japan, when the latest reports on basic studies on propolis and the clinical application of propolis to the intractable diseases were presented by the researchers and the medical doctors from various countries abroad. Together with the introduction of a crude propolis by the Brasilian beekeepers, the name of ‘propolis’ became known instantly with the possibility of future promising substance. However during first five years since 1985 propolis was regarded only as health foods and folk remedies and was not paid much attention to by scientists. Propolis studies made public in 1987 related only to general findings, introduction of overseas literatures, and distribution of flavonoid components¹⁾.