Propolis: what it is and how to prepare it

The use of propolis dates back to ancient times: in Egypt, priests used it to mummify the remains of the deceased; the Greeks and Romans collected it for external use in healing wounds and sores. In South America, the Incas employed it during febrile states, and in 12th-century Russia, it was used against inflammations of the oral cavity.

Until the 18th century, various European countries utilized it for various purposes. It then fell out of use for a long time, only to experience a renaissance in later years.

Propolis is composed of resinous secretions collected by bees from the buds of certain plants, including birch, pine, fir, elm, alder, oak, horse chestnut, willow, and poplar.

The bee, with its mandibles, extracts a fragment of resin, transports it in the pollen containers on its hind legs until fully loaded, then returns to the hive, leaving the cargo to the worker bees who work on and enrich the harvest with salivary secretions, storing it.

The collection of propolis occurs during periods of low nectar importation and during the central hours of the day, with temperatures exceeding 20°C, when resins are more malleable.

In the hive, it is used as a building material (to seal cracks, as thermal insulation, and to prevent the entry of insects), as antiseptic paint, and in the cells of the honeycombs, before the queen lays eggs, to create a sterilized cradle.

A mixture of propolis and wax is used to embalm and prevent the putrefaction of foreign insects entering the hive.

Propolis is composed of resins (55%), essential oils (10%), pollen (5%), fatty acids (5%), glucides, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, plant waxes, and beeswax, along with impurities.

Pharmacologically active constituents include flavonoids, phenolic and aromatic compounds; abietic, benzoic, cinnamic, ferulic, and caffeic acids; coumarins, vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, PP, B5), trace elements (iron, manganese, aluminum, chromium, calcium, sulfur, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, silicon, sodium, potassium, silver). Free amino acids include arginine, proline, and pyroglutamic acid.

What are the actions of propolis? Antibacterial (bacteriostatic and bactericidal), antifungal, antiviral, immunostimulant, anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective, antioxidant, diuretic, hepatoprotective, anti-ulcer and anti-gastritis, anticaries, healing, against dental abscesses, pyorrhea, and periodontitis. Currently, in vitro studies are being conducted regarding its anti-tumor activity.

No contraindications are reported in literature, except for hypersensitivity and specific sensitization in individuals allergic to the resins from which bees derive propolis.

Propolis can be used in its natural state: in solid form, as chewing gum or fragments, granules, or powdered; in hydroalcoholic solution (20-30%) or soft extract (a creamy paste obtained by evaporating alcohol from a hydroalcoholic solution of propolis, used for sores, eczema, burns, erythema, wounds, bruises, gum problems).

The use of the hydroalcoholic extract is the most well-known, especially for oral cavity conditions.

How to prepare Propolis:

Freeze and powder 25 grams of raw propolis and add 75 grams of pure alcohol in a tightly sealed glass jar. Keep at room temperature for 20 days, shaking every 3/4 days.

With a needleless syringe, aspirate the liquid part of the preparation; the denser part can be filtered with filter paper and added to the extract.

Place everything in a glass bottle with a dropper and store in the dark.

Use a few drops (4 or 5), even mixed with honey.

MARA GASPARI