US EPA

1066331 

Journal Article 

Chemical composition and biological activity of a new type of Brazilian propolis: red propolis 

Alencar, SM; Oldoni, TL; Castro, ML; Cabral, IS; Costa-Neto, CM; Cury, JA; Rosalen, PL; Ikegaki, M 

2007 

Yes 

Journal of Ethnopharmacology
ISSN: 0378-8741 

113 

2 

278-283 

English 

17656055 

10.1016/j.jep.2007.06.005 

WOS:000249456900013 

Propolis has been used as a medicinal agent to treat infections and promote wound healing for centuries. The aim of the present study was to test the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of a new type of Brazilian propolis, popularly called red propolis, as well as to analyze its chemical composition. The antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Staphylococcus mutans UA159 was evaluated and the chloroform fraction (Chlo-fr) was the most active with lower MIC ranging from 25 to 50 microg/ml. The hexane fraction (H-fr), having the highest concentration of total flavonoids, showed the best sequestrating activity for the free radical DPPH. The ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) showed cytotoxic activity for the HeLa tumor cells with an IC(50) of 7.45 microg/ml. When the EEP was analyzed by GC-MS, seven new compounds were found, among which four were isoflavones. Our results showed that the red propolis has biologically active compounds that had never been reported in other types of Brazilian propolis. 

Antibacterial activity; Antioxidant activity; Chemical analysis; Cytotoxic activity; Isoflavones; Propolis