Other Uses of Propolis

In Europe and North Africa, the special wound healing properties of Propolis were already known to the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans and in ancient times. In records of the 12th century, medicinal preparations with Propolis are described for treating mouth and throat infections, as well as caries. Propolis probably has been more commonly used in wood preservatives or varnishes than may be suggested by the single, frequently cited reference to Stradivarius (Jolly, 1978).

In sub-Saharan Africa, Propolis is still used today in herbal medicines and the more mundane applications mentioned earlier such as waterproofing containers and wood, adhesive, bow string preparation and for tuning drums.

The antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal activities of Propolis offer scope for applications in food technology. One special advantage is that, unlike some conventional preservatives, the residues of Propolis seem to have a generally beneficial effect on human health. However, only very few studies have been done on the possible side-effects of increased consumption of Propolis. Individually, some of the components identified in Propolis can be very damaging to human health.

Mizuno (1989), registered a patent which includes Propolis as a preservative in food packing material.

Extension of frozen storage life of fish by 2-3 times is cited including Donadieu (1979), but without reference to original studies. Propolis is permitted as a preservative for frozen fish. by various authors, In Japan, the use of Addition of only 30 ppm (parts per million) of Propolis to the rations of laying hens increased egg production, food conversion and hen weight by S to 6% (Bonomi, et al., 1976). Ghisalberti (1979) reports additional weight gains for broiler chicken of up to 20% when 500 ppm of Propolis was added to their diets.

5- Others

The search for new uses of Propolis continues. Sangalli (1990) mentioned use of Propolis for post-harvest treatment and conservation of fruits. Applications in pesticides and fungicides are still in the testing phase. However, for many of its traditional uses Propolis is being replaced by more readily available, sometimes more effective but often also more toxic alternatives.

Beekeepers use Propolis, melted together with wax or in an ammonia solution (Anon, 1982) to apply to the inside of hives or swarm traps to attract swarms. Adequate ventilation and aeration after painting with the ammonia solution are both necessary. Rubbing Propolis or painting it (after melting with wax from old combs) works as well or better and avoids the use of noxious and toxic ammonia.

The current trend to return to environmentally safer and less energy intensive production methods in many developed countries, the increased buying power of consumers and growing markets for more expensive products may lead to considerable growth in the use and new applications of Propolis, particularly in cosmetics and food technology.

See also:

Bee Propolis: What is Propolis?

Formulation and Application Methods for Human and Animal Use

Composition of Propolis

Physical Characteristics of Propolis

The Physiological Effects & Scientific Evidence

Storage of Propolis

Traditional Uses of Propolis

Uses of of Propolis in Cosmetics & Medicine

Bee Propolis: Caution

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