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Propolis

It’s encouraging to see that some countries aside from the USA are conducting their own medical research into bee products. I’ve been putting together a report for an independent research company on Propolis and its possible benefits in the field of treating burns and skin infections, and ran into a useful resource at this link.

The article suggests several overseas research efforts which have yielded positive results, when examining the benefits of propolis. One of the reasons the substance isn’t promoted in wider circles as a medicinal aid is that it’s difficult to label accurately. There are seasonal and regional variations which affect the precise chemical composition of propolis, hence making standard labeling practices difficult to implement. Mostly,  propolis is roughly 50% resin and vegetable substance, 30% wax, 10% oils, 5% bee pollen and 5% other minerals and compounds, but it can vary greatly based on region, climate etc. Here’s an image showing how the benefits of propolis change somewhat based on the region/climate in which it is harvested -

Here’s another look into propolis and its benefits.

Let me know if you have any other articles, references or information on bee propolis or any other medical research on products from the beehive.

We talked a little about propolis in the previous post but didn’t really cover the benefits of propolis. As already stated, this thick, dark glue-like substance is used around the beehive for its anti-biotic properties and its ability to create a sterile environment. Humans can use propolis topically on cuts and sores to prevent infection and aid the healing process. Propolis benefits can be realized with mouth sores such as cankers and ulcers, and it is sold widely for such topical uses where the product must also be safe to ingest.

There are quite a few other propolis uses and benefits listed here, mostly related to the anti-septic anti-biotic properties and benefits of bee propolis.

I’ve covered the benefits of propolis quite extensively here but I’m going to start to add more information about the benefits of propolis and other bee products at this Blog.
Propolis is often termed “bee glue” since it’s a sticky resinous substance made from a compound of bee saliva, bark, tree sap and other vegetation. It is used to repair damage to the beehive by sealing cracks and holes to prevent the ingress of outside contaminants. In that sense it is used to create a sterile environment within the beehive and to protect its inhabitants and the precious substances within.
Worker bees collect the vegetation using their legs and the substances are mixed with bee secretions during transportation and subsequent application to the hive walls.
Processing propolis is very different to the processes used for royal jelly and bee pollen. It is common to use an alcohol extraction procedure where the sticky black, tar-like substance is diluted in an alcohol base then extracted and dried. Propolis quite often has a strong acidic and pungent odor. We’ve had comments from people using our Total Bee Plus product saying that sometimes there’s a chemical odor and it varies from batch to batch. This is absolutely true but it’s nothing to be concerned about. It is the inherent properties and odors of propolis.
Another observation relating to propolis is that our combination bee products often have dark specs inside the capsule, visible through the tan colored capsule shell. Again, this is the propolis, it starts out quite dark and will darken, naturally, with age.