‘If bees disappeared from earth, human would only have four years to live’.

A quote with reference to the famous scientist Albert Einstein that is truer than ever.

Did you know that honey is not the only product that bees make?

In addition to honey, bees collect and produce a variety of splendid products, including pollen, royal jelly, beeswax, venom, honeycomb and the excellent propolis.

Propolis (known as a bee glue) is as sticky, dark substance that bees produce from according toplants. In fact, is a mixture of beeswax, resins, plant juices, herbal ingredients and their saliva. Bees use propolis to build and adjust their hives, mainly to fill any cracks and protect the hive from bacteria. Additionally, propolis strengthens the cell walls of the hive and contributes to an aseptic internal environment. It is also used to mummify invaders that bees cannot remove.

Its name comes the Greek word ‘pro’ which means ‘before / in defense of her – him’ and the word ‘polis’ which means ‘city’ – making the literal meaning of propolis ‘in defense of the city’(of the hive!).

Propolis is vital to the survival of the hive and can benefit humans in a variety of ways too and it has been known since ancient times as a wonderful bee product with multiple therapeutic uses. It has been used in traditional medicine and is known that nowadays, is a natural medicine with many applications in the treatment of various diseases due to its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and many other effects.

Historical references for the propolis use have been made back to the time of Aristotelis, around 350 B.C. Thousands of years ago ancient civilizations used propolis for its medicinal properties, such as wound healing, its actions against tumors and skin ulcers, to name a few. The ancient Greeks used it to treat abscesses and the Egyptians to treat various health problems, as well as in mummification rituals (just as bees use propolis to mummify hives invaders and protect them as invaders decay).

According to the Earthwatch Institute: ‘The bee has been declared the most valuable living thing on the Planet Earth’.

A natural ally

‘Nature as an ally of man. The natural antibiotic, with its composition rich in active ingredients of polyphenols, essential and aromatic oils shields and strengthens the body’. The health benefits of propolis are very impressive.Scientist continue to be

amazed by the results of research from this extraordinary, dark and sticky substance. Researchers have identified more than 300 compounds in propolis, including antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, coumarins, polyphenols and flavonoids, natural steroids and more. Propolis also contains about 10% essentials oils, 5% pollen as well as multiple of other organic compounds.

The most important for health are the following:

• Due to its proven anti-flammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties, propolis can prevent and reduce the duration of respiratory diseases, such as the flu and the common cold.
• Propolis strengthens the immune system and is known for its antioxidant properties.
• It is also important to emphasize that propolis is a ‘smart’ antibiotic. Unlike synthetic antibiotics, which kill all bacteria, propolis actually destroys only the bad ones, without affecting the beneficial probiotic bacteria.

‘Propolis extracts can ve extremely useful in the treatment of cancer.’

There are hundreds of articles based on medical research regarding the potential of propolis not only to kill cancer cells but also to inhibit DNA synthesis in them, including apoptosis (programmed death of abnormal cells). In particular, two propolis polyphenols (caffeic acid and artepillin C) seem to show the greatest potential in terms of anticancer properties.

Medical research has shown that propolis has been able to fight pathogenic yeast called Candida albicans, reducing effectively their numbers and helping to prevent and recover from numerous problems and symptoms associated with candida overgrowth.

• The protection of the liver is another benefit from the internal use of propolis.
• It has been also proved that propolis can be effective to combat intestinal parasites and herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. In improves the fertility of women with endometriosis. Propolis has anti-diabetic activity and protects the skin. Soothes allergies and promotes dental health (due to its antibacterial properties).

‘The antioxidants that present in propolis play an important role in immunoregulatory properties. The flavonoids concentrated in propolis are powerful antioxidants.’

‘Propolis: A gift from bee and Mother Nature to humans and mammals, possessing a wide range of health benefits , with strong pharmacological potential and interest.’

Giorgos T. Athanasiadis