Chemical composition of North American bee propolis and biological activity towards larvae of greater wax moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

Bee propolis is a sticky amalgamation of plant resins collected by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) and used in the hive for filling cracks and repairing combs. Propolis contains a diversity of compounds of plant origin, and is reported to have medicinal, antimicrobial, insecticidal, and phytotoxic properties. We examined the physical and chemical composition of North American samples of bee propolis from several sites in North America and tested for bioactivity against larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella L.), a common apiary pest. The amount of methanol-extractable resin in samples from Ohio and Georgia ranged from 24% to 79% by weight. Propolis collected from hives in Ohio was more chemically diverse (over 30 compounds detected by paper chromatography) than material from south Georgia (fewer than 10 major compounds) and contained a lower proportion of methanol-insoluble beeswax. The paper chromatographic surveys revealed little variation in the chemical profile of specific hives over a six-month period and no differences between propolis from adjacent hives. Four flavonoids were identified from propolis collected in Ohio: kaempferol, galangin, 3,3'-dimethoxyquercetin and 3-methoxykaempferol. When mixed into artificial diet, fractionated propolis reduced larval growth of the greater wax moth, but not dramatically. An array of phenolics reported from propolis (caffeic acid, chrysin, ferulic acid, galangin, kaempferol, and quercetin) were bioassayed individually for effects on larvae, but none reduced larval growth at the concentrations tested, suggesting that wax moths are tolerant of some phenolics in their diet.

Pharmacophagy and pharmacophory: mechanisms of self-medication and disease prevention in the honeybee colony (Apis mellifera)

“…However, this study did not use A. florea -collected propolis, so the results on honeybees infected with N. ceranae have to be treated with caution in the context of self-medication of a honeybee colony. In vivo assay Eischen and Dietz 1987;Garedew et al 2004a;Johnson et al 1994 Ethanol extract V. destructor Narcotic and lethal effects, metabolism regulation…”

“…Feeding propolis ethanolic extracts to wax moth (Galleria mellonella ) larvae in in vivo assays reduced wax moth larval growth, survival and heat production with increasing propolis concentration (Eischen and Dietz 1987;Garedew et al 2004a;Johnson et al 1994). Topical application of propolis extracts on V. destructor in vivo in the honeybee colony resulted in narcotic and lethal effects on the mite, and again interfered negatively with the larval heat production (Damiani et al 2010;Garedew et al 2002Garedew et al , 2003a.…”

Propolis and bee health: the natural history and significance of resin use by honey bees

“…Two studies have examined the effectiveness of propolis extracts against the greater wax moth, an opportunistic parasite that mainly affects weakened hives (Johnson et al, 1994;Garedew et al, 2004). In laboratory experiments similar to those conducted Figure 2.…”

Composição química de Baccharis dracunculifolia, fonte botânica das própolis dos estados de São Paulo e Minas Gerais

“…A própolis vem se destacando na literatura pelas suas várias propriedades biológicas apresentadas, como atividade antimicrobiana (MARCUCCI et al, 2001), antiinflamatória (MONTPIED et al, 2003), cicatrizante (GHISALBERTI, 1979), anestésica (BURDOCK, 1998), antitripanossomal (CUNHA et al, 2004), anticariogênica (DUARTE et al, 2003), antiviral (BURDOCK, 1998), anticarcinogênica (ISHIKAWA et al, 2004), antioxidante (KUMAZAWA et al, 2004) e fitotóxica (JOHNSON et al, 1994). Além disso, também vem sendo utilizada pelas indústrias farmacêutica e alimentícia na forma de alimentos funcionais (ACKERMANN, 1991).…”