31/05/2025
Propolis Applications and Health Benefits - a summary of conclusions of research study.
Traditional and alternative medicine is the world’s oldest form of health care and
is used in the prevention and treatment of physical and mental illnesses in the present
day. Propolis is a beekeeping product widely used in alternative medicine due to its easy
accessibility. In this review, we compiled some of the biomedical properties of propolis,
focusing mainly on diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Our search for information reflects
the global trend to seek new alternatives for the treatment of these diseases. There is a
significant volume of research on propolis that shows that it is able to help in the control of
diabetes by lowering glucose levels, MDA, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and assisting
in weight loss. Furthermore, it enhances serum insulin levels, the translocation of GLUT-4,
and the function of antioxidant enzymes, in addition to protecting cells and pancreatic
function. In obesity, propolis has also shown benefits, with in vitro and animal models
providing evidence that it induces the transcription of adiponectin and leptin, reduces
the mass of visceral adipose tissue, and regulates the levels of triglycerides, non-esterified
fatty acids, and cholesterol. Another relevant aspect for propolis is the data obtained
on its antitumor effects related to the inhibition of the cell cycle, apoptosis, proliferation,
viability, growth, and cell migration; it is notable that many of these activities continue to
have selectivity towards tumor cells without affecting non-tumor cells. It is necessary to
emphasize that the propolis of each geographical region has different biomedical activities
due to the significant diversity that exists in its chemical composition. As a result, each
geographical variant of propolis can be considered a great source of natural products,
particularly terpenes and phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids. Each propolis is thus
unique, requiring individual study. Despite all the attributes and virtues of propolis,
several challenges remain to overcome. The first is to determine a classification in which all
the properties that have been studied can be integrated as well as those that emerge from
future investigations. The proposal by Bankova (2005) can function as basis for achieving
adequate classification [6]. The standardization of propolis will lead to its safe and adequate
consumption, to achieve this it is necessary to generate a commitment from the scientific
community that works with this beekeeping product to describe the chemical composition
of all the propolis extracts used in any research. Another challenge is to increase in vivo
and clinical studies, since much of the available evidence of the biomedical properties
of propolis is in vitro work, which, in many cases, prevents the reported activities from
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being directly applied in humans. Furthermore, we consider that future clinical studies
should use propolis with a well-established chemical composition, since this will allow the
establishment of a specific dose for each disease and the adequate treatment in infectious
and non-infectious diseases. Investigation and better understanding of the properties of
propolis, and phenomena such as synergism and other mechanisms of natural products, can
assist in the development of new and better medicines and safe consumption treatments as
complementary therapies for these diseases.
