Propolis as an Antibacterial

Two levels should be addressed when considering the antibacterial activity of propolis. Two aspects of this are associated: one directly impacting the microbe and the other with stimulation of the immune system, which activates the organism’s innate defenses (Przybyłek I, Karpiński TM. Molecules 24(11):2047, 2019; Sforcin JM, Bankova V. J Ethnopharmacol 33:253–260, 2011). Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, disturbance of membrane potential, and decreased bacterial motility are all inferred effects of propolis based on its action method. It has been found that propolis has a more potent antibacterial effect against Gram-positive bacteria compared to Gram-negative bacteria. The synthesis of hydrolytic enzymes by Gram-negative bacteria and their species-specific outer membrane structure contribute to this phenomenon since they degrade the active components of propolis (Sforcin JM. Phytother Res 30:894–905, 2016; Kędzia B. Post Fitoter 2:97–107, 2013). One of the many phenolic chemicals in propolis is a prenyl derivative of p-coumaric acid. Brazilian researchers Veiga et al. found that artepillin C concentrations were greater in ethanolic propolis than in hexane extracts. The antimicrobial activity against MRSA S. aureus was similarly vigorous in these extracts (Veiga RS, De Mendonça S, Mendes PB, Paulino N, Mimica MJ, Lagareiro Netto AA, Marcucci MC. J Appl Microbiol 122:911–920, 2017). Research has shown that artepillin C can inhibit the growth of the anaerobic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis through membrane blebbing (Yoshimasu Y, Ikeda T, Sakai N, Yagi A, Hirayama S, Morinaga Y, Furukawa S, Nakao R. J Dent Res 97:928–936, 2018). Additionally, tefillin C has anti-inflammatory actions through nitric oxide (Paulino N, Abreu SRL, Uto Y, Koyama D, Nagasawa H, Hori H, Dirsch VM, Vollmar AM, Scremin A, Bretz WA. Eur J Pharmacol 587:296–301, 2008) and prostaglandin E(2) inhibition and NF-kappaB regulation.