Is Propolis A Natural Antibiotic?
Propolis is a natural substance that is increasingly recognized for its beneficial role, not only in helping to maintain hygiene in the bee hive, but also for its possible applications in human clinical use.
But can propolis be considered to be a natural antibiotic? The answer, it seems, is 'yes'. Here's a brief look at the scientific position.
What Is Propolis, And What Is An Antibiotic?
Propolis is a substance made by honey bees from natural ingredients such as resins, and used as a kind of 'bee glue'. You can read about this in more detail on my page: What is bee propolis and what is it used for?
Antibiotics are substances that counter bacteria. Some bacteria are detrimental to the health of humans and the animal kingdom.
"Antibiotics are compounds that target bacteria and, thus, are intended to treat and prevent bacterial infections.1"
Can Bee Propolis Be Used As An Antibiotic?
Firstly, it should be stated that if you have come to this page seeking information for a condition that may require an antibiotic, it may be advisable for you to visit a medical professional.
Nevertheless, to answer the question, indeed, propolis is used in the hive or nest by bees in such a way that it helps to protect bees against some disease threats.
Again, you can read more about this on my page: What is bee propolis and what is it used for?
There is also some evidence that propolis can be helpful for humans for use against sore throats.
Propolis is noted for its antibacterial properties. In a 2020 paper, Propolis as a novel antibacterial agent2, Almuhayawi writes:
"Propolis (bee glue) is a ... sticky resinous material released from various plant sources such as bud exudates, flowers, and leaves modified by bee secretions and wax. Propolis is composed of resins, waxes, polyphenols, polysaccharides, volatile materials, and secondary metabolites that are responsible for various bioactivity such as antibacterial, anti-angiogenic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-viral activities"
Importantly, however, Almuhayawi points out that the activity and properties of propolis vary according to season, regionality, and the composition of the resin (which in turn is affected by the source of the materials gathered by the honey bees).
More recently, in 2023, Kapote et al3 wrote: Propolis: A Natural Antibiotic to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria:
"Honeybees (Apis mellifera) and stingless bees have natural wisdom about selecting and collecting antimicrobial principles from plants.
Using this inherited wisdom, honeybees produce propolis for their protection from microbes, viruses, and insects.
Recent scientific studies also substantiated these ancient antimicrobial claims of propolis and proved its utility in treating MDR [Multi Drug Resistant] pathogens."
References
1. Patel P, Wermuth HR, Calhoun C, et al. Antibiotics. [Updated 2023 May 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535443/
2. Almuhayawi MS. Propolis as a novel antibacterial agent. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2020 Nov;27(11):3079-3086. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.09.016. Epub 2020 Sep 14. PMID: 33100868; PMCID: PMC7569119.
3. Kasote, D.M. et al. (2023). Propolis: A Natural Antibiotic to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria. In: Wani, M.Y., Ahmad, A. (eds) Non-traditional Approaches to Combat Antimicrobial Drug Resistance. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9167-7_12
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