Propolis, also called "bee glue," is a resinous substance bees use to construct and maintain their hives. In laboratory tests, propolis has exhibited a variety of interesting antimicrobial and anti-tumor properties.

What's in Bee Propolis?
Propolis is a mixture of resin, essential oils and waxes mixed with bee glue. Propolis it contains amino acid, minerals, ethanol, vitamin A, B complex, E, pollen and highly active ingredients known as flavonoids or bioflavonoids.

Bee Propolis Extract, 500 mg
Natural Factors
Propolis is a gummy substance made by bees, who combine it with wax to fortify and sterilize their hives. Propolis has been traditionally used for its natural disinfecting properties. Valued for centuries, these products are used for energy enhancement and support of general health. Our bee products are stringently tested for purity and potency and gently processed to retain delicate nutrients.

All Natural Factors products are manufactured according to Canadian Health Protection Branch Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), among the highest standards in the world.

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Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month you will receive an email with a review of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics - including bee propolis - and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Bee Propolis Supplement Facts
Bee Propolis extract 2:1 - 500 mg*

Suggested Usage: 1 bee propolis capsule, 1-2 times per day, in the morning, or as directed by a health professional. Keep out of the reach of children.
* Propolis Daily Value not established

Benefits of Propolis
Propolis has been used since ancient times in folk medicine. Research studies indicate that Propolis, a flavonoid-rich product of honey comb, exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Laboratory studies also show that propolis has anti-tumor effects. An ointment made of propolis is able to heal genital herpetic lesions (see below). In addition, bee propolis can enhance the immune system and the flavonoids in propolis act as antioxidants. Propolis may even play a role in stomach ulcer prevention. However, since human studies are in short supply, we don't know the full benefit or side effect profile of propolis ingestion as a supplement for prologed periods.

Propolis cautions
Propolis may infrequently cause contact dermatitis and other allergic reactions.

Propolis for giardia infection
This propolis study was done in mice. Would propolis supplements be also effective in humans?

Effect of propolis versus metronidazole and their combined use in treatment of acute experimental giardiasis.
J Egypt Soc Parasitol. 2007 August. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
One hundred and fifty immunocompetent mice were orally infected by 5 x 10(5) axenically cultivated Giardia lamblia trophozoites. The trophozoite count in intestine, interferon-gamma serum level, histopathological examination of duodenal and jejunal sections were assessed for evaluation of propolis and metronidazole (MTZ) effect after 6 and 12 days post infection. Propolis as prophylaxis showed a significant decrease in intensity of infection, together with a significant increase in IF-gamma serum level and increase in CD4+: CD8+T-cell ratio. In treatment it gave a highly significant decrease in trophozoite count than that obtained by metronidazole 6 days after infection but the efficacy was almost equal after 12 days. The mice treated with propolis alone showed a reversed CD4+: CD8+ T-lymphocyte ratio, such strong immune enhancing effect resulted in an undesirable increase in inflammatory response at intestinal level. The combined therapy showed a stronger efficacy in reducing the parasite count than that gained by each drug alone.

Propolis Research Update
[Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity and hypouricemia effect of propolis in rats]
Yakugaku Zasshi. 2005 Mar;125(3):315-21.
Fancl Corporation Central Research Laboratory, Yokohama 244-0806, Japan.
The xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity of propolis from China and Brazil was measured. The propolis from both place were seen to have XOD inhibitory activity. These results suggested that a continuous intake of propolis may be effective for the prevention and the treatment of gout and hyperuricemia.

Inhibitory effect of bee pollen and propolis extracts.
Nahrung. 2004 Jun;48(3):188-94.
Bee pollen and propolis were collected from Apis mellifera colonies in five regions of Turkey. The antifungal properties of methanol extracts of pollen and propolis (2% and 5% concentrations) were determined on Alternaria alternata and Fusarium oxysporium f. sp. melonis. The least active concentration towards the tested fungi was 2% concentration of both extracts. The inhibitory effect of all bee propolis extracts on growth of F. oxysporium and A. alternata were generally higher when compared with bee pollen extracts. The growth of A. alternata and F. oxysporium were not affected at both concentrations of pollens. However, F. oxysporium against propolis extracts was more sensitive than A. alternata. None of the bee pollen extracts tested completely inhibited mycelial growth of fungi used in our experiment. Percent inhibition of both pollen concentrations against A. alternata and F. oxysporium was lower than 50%. However, both concentrations of Alanya and Beyşehir bee propolis extracts were 100% effective on mycelial growth of F. oxysporium until the 7th day of incubation. 2% Alanya and Beyşehir bee pollen extracts completely stimulated mycelial growth of F. oxysporium on the 7th day of incubation. Both concentrations of propolis extract showed more than 50% inhibition against E. oxysporium. It is suggested that high concentrations of propolis extract could be used as an antifungal agent against tested fungi.

Bee propolis -- a gummy substance that bees collect from plants in order to repair holes in their hives -- contains antioxidant compounds, flavonoids such as chrysin, and animal research has suggested it has anti-tumor properties.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of propolis collected by three different races of honeybees in the same region.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 May 13;99(1):69-73.
Erciyes University, S.Cikrikcioglu Vocational College, Department of Beekeeping, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey.
The chemical analysis and antibacterial activity of three types of propolis collected three different races of Apis mellifera bee in the same apiary were investigated. Propolis samples were investigated by GC/MS, 48 compounds were identified 32 being new for propolis. The compounds identified indicated that the main plant sources of propolis were Populus alba, Populus tremuloides and Salix alba. Ethanolic extracts of propolis samples showed high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococcus aureus), but had a weak activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and yeast (Candida albicans). Propolis sample collected by Apis mellifera caucasica showed a higher antibacterial activity than collected by Apis mellifera anatolica and Apis mellifera carnica.

Cytoprotection by propolis ethanol extract of acute absolute ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions.
Am J Chin Med. 2002;30(2-3):245-54.
Acute p.o. administration of absolute ethanol (1.0 ml/kg) to fasted rats produced extensive necrosis of gastric mucosa. Pretreatment with p.o. administration of propolis ethanol extract could effectively and dose-dependently prevent such necrosis. This protective effect is called "cytoprotection. "The maximal cytoprotective effect against absolute ethanol (AE)-induced gastric mucosal lesion was observed 1 hour after propolis extract administration. A gross examination of the gastric mucosa showed a marked improvement in groups receiving PEE. In order to further investigate the gastric protective mechanism of propolis, lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in vivo and in vitro were estimated. Propolis exhibited dose-dependent superoxide scavenging activity and antioxidant effects on AE-induced LPO in rat gastric mucosal homogenates. It was concluded that the gastric protective mechanism of propolis ethanol extract was due, at least in part, to its ability to inhibit LPO, and hence indirectly protect the gastric mucosa from oxidative stress.

A comparative multi-centre study of the efficacy of propolis, acyclovir and placebo in the treatment of genital herpes (HSV).
Phytomedicine 2000 Mar;7(1):1-6
Ninety men and women with recurrent genital HSV type 2 participated in a randomized, single-blind, masked investigator, controlled multi-centre study comparing the efficacy of ointment of Canadian propolis containing natural flavonoids with ointments of acyclovir and placebo (vehicle) on healing ability and capacity to remedy symptoms. Thirty individuals were randomized to each group. Treatment was intended to start in the blister phase. All participants had HSV type 2 isolated, confirmed by serum immunoglobulin levels. The participants were examined on the 3rd, 7th and 10th days of treatment by gynaecologists, dermatovenerologists or urologists at seven different medical centres. Apart from clinical symptoms the number and size of the herpetic lesions were noted. At each examination the lesions were classified into four stages: vesicular, ulcerated, crusted and healed. The study ointments were applied to affected areas four times daily. In women with vaginal or cervical lesions a tampon with the appropriate ointment was inserted four times daily for 10 days. Endpoint variables were healing time and time until loss of symptoms. On Day 10, 24 out of 30 individuals in the propolis group had healed. In the acyclovir group 14 out of 30 and in the placebo group 12 out of 30 had healed. The healing process appeared to be faster in the propolis group. In the propolis group 15 individuals had crusted lesions on Day 3 compared to 8 individuals in the acyclovir group and none in the placebo group. On Day 7, 10 participants in the propolis group, 4 in the acyclovir group and 3 in the placebo group had healed. At the initial examination all patients had local symptoms and 28% general symptoms. At Day 3, 3 patients in the propolis group had local symptoms compared to 8 and 9 in the acyclovir and placebo groups respectively. Of the women, 66% had vaginal superinfections of microbial pathogens at the initial examination. In the acyclovir and placebo groups no change in the vaginal flora was found following treatment whereas in the propolis group the incidence of superinfection was reduced by 55%. (p = 0.10 n.s.). CONCLUSION: An ointment containing flavonoids appeared to be more effective than both acyclovir and placebo ointments in healing genital herpetic lesions, and in reducing local symptoms.

Prophylactic effectiveness of propolis for immunostimulation: a clinical pilot study
Forsch Komplementarmed 1999 Oct;6(5):256-60
The aim of this pilot investigation was to show the evidence of the prophylactic immunostimulating effectiveness caused by propolis. The immune response was determined by the measurement of the cytokine level in vivo and ex vivo (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8). In an open prospective monocentric study, 10 healthy test persons aged between 18 and 45 years received Propolis XNP. Probands received over 13 days 500 mg Propolis XNP (2 capsules) for peroral application in the morning. Significant changes of the investigated cytokine secretion capacity during and after the treatment of propolis were compared to the situation without medication. Although the cytokine plasma levels did not significantly change during the study, propolis led to a significant increase of both the spontaneous (TNF-alpha, p < 0. 05; IL-6, IL-8,  IL-1beta, not detectable) and LPS(lipopolysaccaride)-induced (TNF-alpha; IL-6; IL-8; IL-1beta) cytokine secretion capacity following short-term ex vivo culture of peripheral blood leukocytes. Whereas the IL-6 secretion capacity further increased during the 13-day application, the IL-8 and TNF-alpha secretion reached a plateau after day 4 and the TNF-alpha secretion even decreased, but the level at day 13 was still significantly higher than at day 0. As the cytokine secretion capacity but not the cytokine plasma levels increased significantly during therapy, the prophylactic application of propolis led to a time dependent enhanced immune reactivity without undesired side effects. Propolis honey.

Bee Propolis Emails
Q. Could bee propolis help someone who suffers with multiple sclerosis?
   A. We don't know. We haven't seen any studies regarding the association between propolis and multiple sclerosis.

Q. I'd like to buy bee propolis but am concerned about allergic reactions. Is there a test to determine if you're allergic to bee propolis? If you don't react to bees stings, bee products, or propolis salve applied topically is that an indication of anything. Also, I've heard of people developing severe allergic reactions after prolonged use, when the user would tend to feel comfortable with the product. Thanks for your advice. (I wouldn't be concerned except that I've heard the allergic reactions can be severe).
   A. If a person is not allergic to bee stings, bee products or propolis salve, their chances of being allergic to bee propolis as a supplement is significantly reduced. However, there are no 100 percent guarantees. One option is to take small amounts of bee propolis, at least initially, and it is often a good idea with most supplements to take breaks from use.

Q. I am a hepatitis B carrier for many years. Last summer before taking various bee propolis extracts, my ALT was 171 IU/ml and my hepatitis virus count was 56,000,000 copies/ml. I started taking  bee propolis extracts since last Dec. 2007. My blood test results in April, 2008 were a big surprise to me and my physician. My ALT was 33 and my virus count was 19,000 copies/ml. I'll continue to take propolis extracts to see if my virus count will go to near undetectable. I feel better and look better also.
   A. This is quite interesting.