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The principal objective of this study was to determine the anti-staphylococcal potential of ethanol extracts of propolis (EEPs). A total of 20 samples of propolis collected from apiaries located in different regions of Poland were used in the study. The two-fold broth microdilution method revealed some important differences in the antimicrobial activity of investigated EEPs. Up to the concentration of 4096 µg/mL no activity was observed against Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and P. aeruginosa). Staphylococci exhibited much higher susceptibility. The highest efficiency observed for EEP12 and EEP20 (MIC values ranged between 32 and 256 µg/mL). However, the achievement of bactericidal effect usually required higher concentrations. In the case of clinical isolates of S. aureus MBC values for EEP12 and EEP20 ranged from 512 to 1024 µg/mL. The HPLC analysis revealed that these two products contained a higher concentration of flavonoids (flavonols, flavones, and flavanones) compared to other investigated EEPs. In checkerboard test, a synergistic anti-staphylococcal effect was observed for the action of EEP20 in combination with amikacin, kanamycin, gentamycin, tetracycline, and fusidic acid (all these antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis). Moreover, the investigated EEPs effectively eradicated staphylococcal biofilm. The obtained results clearly confirm the high anti-staphylococcal potential of propolis harvested in Polish apiaries.

Honey is a promising agent in the treatment of non-healing infected wounds. Thirty-seven unifloral samples of 14 honey varieties from Poland were analysed for their antimicrobial activity and compared with manuka honey. Several honey types exert even higher antimicrobial potential and could be introduced to wound therapy. Additionally, positive correlations of the antimicrobial activity were found, especially with yellow colour and could be important in the search and screening of the honey active against Escherichia coli.

Development of effective and safe therapeutic treatment of fungal infections remains one of the major challenge for modern medicine. The aim of presented investigation was to analyze the in vitro antifungal activity of selected essential oils, ethanolic extracts of propolis and silver nanoparticles dropped on TiO 2 against azole-resistant C. albicans (n = 20), C. glabrata (n = 14) and C. krusei (n = 10) clinical isolates. Among tested essential oils, the highest activity has definitely been found in the case of the oil isolated from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, with MIC and MFC values for all tested strains in the range of 0.0006-0.0097 % (v/v) and 0.0012-0.019 % (v/v), respectively. High activity was also observed for the Lemon, Basil, Thyme, Geranium and Clove (from buds) essential oils. Significant differences in fungicidal activity have been observed in the case of four tested propolis samples. Only one of them revealed high activity, with MFC values in the range from 0.156 to 1.25 % (v/v). Satisfactory fungicidal activity, against C. albicans and C. glabrata isolates, was also observed in the case of silver nanoparticles, however C. krusei isolates were mostly resistant. We also revealed that constituents of most of essential oils and propolis as well as silver nanoparticles are not substrates for drug transporters, which belong to the most important factors affecting resistance of Candida spp. clinical isolates to many of conventional antimycotics. To conclude, the results of our investigation revealed that essential oils, propolis and silver nanoparticles represent high potential for controlling and prevention candidiasis.