Propolis, also called "bee glue," is a resinous substance bees use to construct and maintain their hives. In laboratory tests, propolis has exhibited a variety of interesting antimicrobial and anti-tumor properties.

Propolis has been used since ancient times in folk medicine for its beneficial effects.

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What's in Propolis?
Propolis is a mixture of resin, essential oils and waxes mixed with bee glue; also it contains amino acid, minerals, ethanol, vitamin A, B complex, E, pollen and highly active ingredients known as flavonoids or bioflavonoids.

Benefits of Propolis
Research studies indicate that propolis, a flavonoid-rich product of honey comb, exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Laboratory studies also show that propolis has anti-tumor effects. An ointment made of propolis is able to heal genital herpetic lesions (see below). In addition, propolis has can enhance the immune system and the flavonoids in propolis act as antioxidants.

Antioxidant
Propolis seems to have potent antioxidants. Propolis is a resin-like, sticky substance bees use in hive construction, while bee pollen is a mix of flower pollen and nectar. Bees secrete royal jelly to feed larvae. Researchers at Gifu Pharmaceutical University in Gifu, Japan  found that a water extract of Brazilian green propolis had the most potent antioxidant effects, followed closely by an alcohol propolis extract. An extract of bee pollen collected from two bee species in Spain also had antioxidant effects, but was only about one-tenth as strong as the propolis extracts. Royal jelly, collected from bees in China's Yangtze Valley and freeze-dried, had no antioxidant effects. Tests of propolis components found that caffeic acids dramatically reduced all three of the reactive oxygen types. A chemical, artepillin C, accounted for some of the antioxidant effects of the bee pollen. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, online February 26, 2009.

Antioxidant compounds of propolis determined by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry.
J Sep Sci. 2007 Mar;30(4):595-603. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Propolis is a resinous hive product rich in antioxidant compounds. Different phenolic compounds (e.g. pinobanksin 3-acetate, naringenin, pinocembrin, chrysin, daidzein, quercetin 3',7-dimethyl ether, apigenin, and kaempferid) were detected. To confirm the identity of the phenolic compounds in propolis extracts, accurate mass data of the molecular ions were obtained by TOF MS. Limits of detection ranging from 6 mg/100 g of raw propolis for chrysin to 58 mg/ 100 g of raw propolis for luteolin, were obtained.

Cancer prevention
Propolis possesses various physiological activities including antitumor effects.

Immune system
Immunomodulatory and antimetastatic action of propolis and related polyphenolic compounds.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Oct;94(2-3):307-315.
The effect of polyphenolic compounds isolated from propolis and propolis itself was investigated on the growth and metastatic potential of a transplantable mammary carcinoma (MCa) of CBA mouse. A water-soluble derivative of proplis, caffeic acid, caffeic acid phenethyl ester and quercetin were given to mice before tumor cells inoculation. Tested compounds significantly decreased the number of tumor nodules in the lung. According to the results obtained the antitumor activity of tested compounds can be related to the immunomodulatory properties of the compounds, their cytotoxicity to tumor cells, and their capacity to induce apoptosis and necrosis. The experimental data support that propolis, caffeic acid, affeic acid phenethyl ester and quercetin could be potentially useful in the control of tumor growth in experimental models.

Genital herpes research
A comparative multi-centre study of the efficacy of propolis, acyclovir and placebo in the treatment of genital herpes (HSV).
Phytomedicine 2000 Mar;7(1):1-6. Vynograd N, Vynograd I, Sosnowski Z. Institute of Epidemiology, Lvov State Medical University, Ukraine.
Ninety men and women with recurrent genital HSV type 2 participated in a randomized, single-blind, masked investigator, controlled multi-centre study comparing the efficacy of ointment of Canadian propolis containing natural flavonoids with ointments of acyclovir and placebo (vehicle) on healing ability and capacity to remedy symptoms. Thirty individuals were randomized to each group. Treatment was intended to start in the blister phase. All participants had HSV type 2 isolated, confirmed by serum immunoglobulin levels. The participants were examined on the 3rd, 7th and 10th days of treatment by gynaecologists, dermatovenerologists or urologists at seven different medical centres. Apart from clinical symptoms the number and size of the herpetic lesions were noted. At each examination the lesions were classified into four stages: vesicular, ulcerated, crusted and healed. The study ointments were applied to affected areas four times daily. In women with vaginal or cervical lesions a tampon with the appropriate ointment was inserted four times daily for 10 days. Endpoint variables were healing time and time until loss of symptoms. On Day 10, 24 out of 30 individuals in the propolis group had healed. In the acyclovir group 14 out of 30 and in the placebo group 12 out of 30 had healed. The healing process appeared to be faster in the propolis group. In the propolis group 15 individuals had crusted lesions on Day 3 compared to 8 individuals in the acyclovir group and none in the placebo group. On Day 7, 10 participants in the propolis group, 4 in the acyclovir group and 3 in the placebo group had healed. At the initial examination all patients had local symptoms and 28% general symptoms. At Day 3, 3 patients in the propolis group had local symptoms compared to 8 and 9 in the acyclovir and placebo groups respectively. Of the women, 66% had vaginal superinfections of microbial pathogens at the initial examination. In the acyclovir and placebo groups no change in the vaginal flora was found following treatment whereas in the propolis group the incidence of superinfection was reduced by 55%. An ointment containing flavonoids appeared to be more effective than both acyclovir and placebo ointments in healing genital herpetic lesions, and in reducing local symptoms.

Giardiasis
Effect of propolis versus metronidazole and their combined use in treatment of acute experimental giardiasis.
J Egypt Soc Parasitol. 2007 Aug;37(2 Suppl):691-710. Abdel-Fattah NS, Nada OH. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
One hundred and fifty immunocompetent mice were orally infected by axenically cultivated Giardia lamblia trophozoites. The trophozoite count in intestine, interferon-gamma serum level, histopathological examination of duodenal and jejunal sections were assessed for evaluation of propolis and metronidazole (MTZ) effect after 6 and 12 days post infection (p.i). Also, T-lymphocyte profile in blood was investigated 12 days p.i.. Propolis as prophylaxis showed a significant decrease in intensity of infection, together with a significant increase in IF-gamma serum level and increase in CD4+: CD8+T-cell ratio. In treatment propolis gave a highly significant decrease in trophozoite count than that obtained by MTZ 6 days after infection but the efficacy was almost equal after 12 days. The mice treated with propolis alone showed a reversed CD4+: CD8+ T-lymphocyte ratio, such strong immune enhancing effect resulted in an undesirable increase in inflammatory response at intestinal level. The combined therapy showed a stronger efficacy in reducing the parasite count than that gained by each drug alone.

Lung cancer
Propolin H from Taiwanese propolis induces G1 arrest in human lung carcinoma cells.
J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jun 27;55(13):5289-98. Graduate Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10018, Taiwan.
Propolis contains propolin H. Propolin H inhibits the proliferation of human lung carcinoma cell lines, and a significant G1 arrest occurs in a dose-dependent manner at 24 h of exposure in H460 cells.

Propolis cautions, side effects, risks
Propolis may infrequently cause contact dermatitis and other allergic reactions.