The effect of propolis
Что такое propolis?
Propolis is a natural non-toxic substance collected by worker bees from plant secretions, such as mucus, gum, and resin, and mixed with their own secretions and beeswax. The texture is waxy, and the color may be green depending on the type of plant collected. , brown or reddish
In addition to being used to build and repair hives, propolis can also prevent moisture from entering the hive, maintain constant humidity and temperature, and control the flow of air to the hive.
In addition, propolis can also be used as an antibacterial agent to protect larvae, honey and honeycombs from external microorganisms. It can be said to be the best chemical weapon
Propolis is a mixture of plant compounds and bee secretions. Generally speaking, raw propolis is mainly composed of 50% resin, 5% pollen, 30% wax, 10% essential oil, and 5% various organic compounds (such as flavonoids, phenols). Acids, esters, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, lignans, aromatic aldehydes, alcohols) and amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. The composition will vary slightly depending on the collection location and time.
Каковы доказанные эффекты propolis?
Propolis Benefits Irritable Bowel Disease
Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as irritable bowel syndrome, is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by altered bowel habits and associated abdominal discomfort or pain in the absence of detectable structural and biochemical abnormalities. .
Altered gastrointestinal motility, visceral hypersensitivity, post-infectious reactions, brain-gut interactions, altered fecal microbiota, bacterial overgrowth, food sensitivities, carbohydrate malabsorption, and intestinal inflammation have all been implicated in pathogenesis, and perceived symptoms include: Abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation
A randomized, double-blind clinical trial of 6 weeks in 56 patients aged 18 to 65 years with IBS constipation subtype (IBS-C) or IBS mixed subtype (IBS-M) showed that compared with placebo In comparison, propolis (daily dose 900 mg) treatment significantly reduced overall IBS symptom score, abdominal pain severity, and abdominal pain frequency.
For constipation subtypes and mixed subtypes of irritable bowel syndrome, propolis adjuvant treatment may bring positive help, but due to the limited sample size, more research is needed to further verify it.
Propolis benefits cognitive function in the elderly
Cognition refers to several specific cognitive areas, including: attention, memory, executive cognitive functions, language, and visual-spatial abilities. It is crucial to functional independence, including whether a person can live and manage independently. Finances, taking your medications correctly, and driving safely.
With normal aging, the most important change in cognition is a decline in performance on cognitive tasks that require rapid processing or transformation of information to make decisions, including: processing speed, working memory, and executive cognitive functions
A randomized controlled trial (24 weeks, including 68 Japanese adults aged 60-79 years with normal cognition but amnesia (subjective or reported by others)) showed that compared with placebo, oral Propolis extract helps improve cognitive function, including verbal memory, information processing, complex attention and concentration.
Propolis may have a positive effect on the cognitive function of the elderly, but due to the small sample size, more research is needed to further verify it.
Propolis Benefits Dentin Allergy
Dentin hypersensitivity is characterized by brief, severe pain in exposed dentin in response to a stimulus (usually thermal, evaporative, tactile, osmotic, or chemical) that cannot be attributed to any other dental defect or pathology
Incidence rates range from 4% to 74%, with slightly higher rates in women than men, and most affected patients are between 20 and 50 years old, peaking between 30 and 40 years old. The canines and premolars are the most affected teeth, with the buccal aspect of the cervical region being a common affected site.
A systematic review (including 6 randomized controlled trials) found that propolis (with a follow-up period ranging from 21 to 90 days, applied to dentin using a microbrush) is effective in relieving dentin hypersensitivity without adverse effects. reports.
Propolis extract may be considered an effective, safe, and low-cost alternative to reduce dentin hypersensitivity, but it is limited by the small sample size and heterogeneity between studies, and more research is needed Further verification
Propolis benefits liver function
The cause of liver disease can be determined through a series of specific blood tests called serological liver screening.
This typically includes liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase, which are markers of liver cell damage; bilirubin, which is a marker of parenchymal liver disease or biliary obstruction; and alkaline phosphatase, which is Sign of biliary disease and cholestasis, but also produced by bones, intestines and placenta.
In addition to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, and viral hepatitis, there are many other causes of abnormal liver function, including autoimmune disease, biliary disease, systemic disease, drug reactions, and infectious hepatitis.
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (Meta-Analysis, including 6 randomized controlled trials) pointed out that compared with the control group, propolis supplementation can reduce aspartate aminotransferase (AST), but has no effect on blood lipid indicators (three Triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) had no significant effect.
Propolis may have positive effects on liver function, but due to the small sample size and high heterogeneity among studies, more high-quality studies are still needed for further verification.
Propolis assists COVID-19 treatment
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is raging around the world. The clinical symptoms are acute pneumonia and systemic fever. , dry cough, fatigue, myalgia, joint pain, dyspnea, etc. In severe cases, it can lead to acute respiratory distress, multiple organ failure, and even death.
This new type of coronavirus spreads rapidly and widely, and the population is generally susceptible. It is a highly contagious disease. Some infected patients may develop immune disorders and high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are called cytokine storms. One of the important causes of clinical deterioration.
A randomized, controlled, open-label, single-center trial (1 week, 124 COVID-19 patients, mean age 50.0 ± 12.8 years) reported that compared with a control group receiving standard care, Brazilian green propolis extract Propomax combined with standard treatment can shorten the length of hospital stay and reduce the incidence of acute kidney injury.
For the treatment of COVID-19, propolis-assisted therapy may bring positive help, but it is limited by the small sample size and more research is needed to further confirm its clinical effectiveness.
Propolis is beneficial for periodontal disease
Periodontal disease includes many forms and symptoms, the most common being gingivitis and periodontitis.
Periodontitis is widely regarded as the second most common dental disease in the world, after tooth decay. In the United States, it is endemic in 30% to 50% of the population, but only about 10% of cases are severe forms of the disease.
Periodontal disease is thought to be associated with a variety of systemic health problems. These include: Alzheimer’s disease, cancer (pancreatic cancer), respiratory disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and other conditions that have been linked to gum disease.
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (Meta-Analysis, including 8 periodontal disease-related randomized controlled trials) pointed out that propolis treatment reduced probing pocket depth compared with placebo treatment. Note 1
For periodontal disease, propolis-based treatment may bring positive help, but it is limited by the small sample size and more research is needed to further verify it.
Propolis reduces inflammation markers
Inflammation is a response to microbial infections of cells (infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.), physical factors (such as burns, stress, wounds, radiation), chemicals (drugs, toxins, alcohol) to immune responses (such as rheumatoid arthritis). inflammation), with clinical manifestations of: redness (erythema), heat (congestion), swelling (exudation), pain (via nerve and chemical mediators)
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase protein produced by the liver, the levels of which rise in response to inflammation, while TNF-α is an early indicator of inflammation from both infectious and non-infectious causes.
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (Meta-Analysis, including 6 randomized controlled trials with a total of 406 participants) pointed out that propolis supplementation can significantly reduce serum C-type reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor concentrations.
Propolis supplementation may help reduce inflammation markers CRP and TNF-α, but due to the small sample size, more large-scale randomized controlled trials are still needed for further verification.
Propolis Benefits Menstrual Pain
Menstrual pain is defined as painful cramps of uterine origin during menstruation. It is one of the causes of pelvic pain and menstrual disorders. About 45% to 93% of women of childbearing age suffer from menstrual pain, with the highest incidence among teenagers.
Menstrual pain is divided into primary menstrual pain (without organic lesions) and secondary menstrual pain (with subpelvic lesions). The cause is currently unknown. However, excessive secretion of uterine prostaglandins, especially PGF 2a and PGF 2, is the main cause of uterine contractions (peaking in the first two days of menstruation)
A randomized double-blind controlled trial (2 months, 86 university students with primary menstrual pain) reported that oral propolis capsules (daily dose 500 mg) helped reduce pain index compared to placebo ( Measured by visual analog scale/visual analog scale).
*Conclusion: For primary menstrual pain, oral propolis is helpful in relieving symptoms, but it is limited by the small sample size and more large-scale studies are still needed to support it.
Propolis Benefits Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Diabetic foot ulcer is a common complication of diabetes associated with high morbidity, mortality, and medical costs.
It is estimated that 19% to 34% of people with diabetes may be affected by diabetic foot ulcers during their lifetime, with patients having a 2.5-fold increased risk of death compared with diabetics without foot trauma.
Related adjunctive therapies include the following, such as: non-surgical debridement agents, dressings and topical medications, oxygen therapy, negative pressure wound therapy, cell biologics, human growth factors, energy therapy and systemic therapies
An 8-week, randomized, placebo-controlled study of 31 patients with diabetic foot ulcers showed that topical propolis reduced wound size compared with untreated subjects.
In addition, propolis increases glutathione, glutathione/glutathione disulfide ratio, reduces tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and increases interleukin-10 levels
Topical application of propolis is of positive help in the care of diabetic foot ulcers, but it is limited by the small sample size and more research is needed to support it.
Propolis Benefits Common Cold
The common cold is the most common human disease and a term traditionally used for mild upper respiratory tract illness, encompassing a heterogeneous group of self-limiting illnesses caused by numerous viruses (more than 200 related viruses are involved, and the number is still changing , coronaviruses are often associated with more severe symptoms than rhinoviruses).
In addition to affecting quality of life, the common cold imposes a huge economic burden on society through work absences (70 million workdays in the United States are caused by non-influenza-related viral respiratory infections each year, equivalent to $8 billion in Indirect costs, accounting for 40% of all lost work time)
A prospective epidemiological multicenter study (7 days of 40 children with acute rhinitis and common cold symptoms) found that using propolis nasal spray (3 times daily) improved cold symptoms and overall life quality.
The use of propolis spray is helpful in relieving colds, but it is limited by the small sample size and more research is needed to further verify it.
Propolis helps diabetes control blood sugar
Diabetes is a chronic progressive disease characterized by insulin resistance, pancreatic islet cell dysfunction, and excess glucose production by the liver
Currently, more than 284 million people worldwide have diabetes, and this number is expected to reach 439 million by 2030.If not handled properly, it can lead to many health complications and disabilities
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (including 6 randomized controlled trials, a total of 373 adults with type 2 diabetes) reported that propolis supplementation (daily doses ranging from 226 to 1500 mg, minimum and maximum duration) Interventions (56 and 180 days) significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin concentrations, but did not significantly improve fasting insulin levels or insulin resistance status).
Oral propolis may have a positive effect on blood sugar control, but it is limited by the small number of studies, the intervention period is too short, and possible methodological biases. More research is still needed to confirm it.
Propolis improves oral mucositis
Oral mucositis is an inflammatory state of the oral and oropharyngeal mucosa in cancer patients following chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Oral mucositis initially presents as erythema of the oral mucosa and often progresses to erosions and ulcers (often covered by a white fibrous pseudomembrane)
Chemotherapy-induced stomatitis is usually less severe and usually lasts 3-12 days, whereas radiation therapy-induced stomatitis can last 3-12 weeks and can significantly affect nutritional intake, oral care, and quality of life.
A meta-analysis of the literature (including 5 randomized controlled trials with a total of 209 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy) pointed out that using propolis mouthwash (2-3 times a day, 5-15 ml each time, The incidence of severe oral mucositis lasting 7 to 180 days) was significantly lower than in the control group. Note 1
Propolis mouthwash is helpful in improving severe oral mucositis caused by chemoradiotherapy, but it is limited by factors such as the small sample size and the exclusion of studies other than Chinese and English. More large-scale trials are still needed to prove it.
Propolis is beneficial for wound recovery
Wound repair is an extremely complex mechanism in the human body. It is a process of hemostasis, inflammation, cell proliferation, and tissue remodeling guided by a series of cell molecules, including the migration and diffusion of epidermal cells and keratinocytes, fibroblast adhesion, and synthesis. Extracellular matrix proteins, connective tissue remodeling, etc.
However, for certain wounds, such as diabetes, chronic infection, burns and large wounds, wound management must be cautious and reducing wound infection is the first priority.
A prospective feasibility study (six weeks in 24 patients with diabetic foot ulcers) found that applying propolis solution to local wound areas reduced ulceration and accelerated wound healing.
Topical application of propolis may have the effect of accelerating wound recovery, but the results still need to be confirmed by more large-scale controlled trials
Propolis Benefits Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease has long been considered a male-dominated disease. However, relevant studies have found that women’s relative risks are actually higher, especially in terms of morbidity and mortality.
Women who have symptoms such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than men. In addition, depression is also another important independent factor.
A double-blind controlled study (90 days, 67 adults) pointed out that propolis not only helps increase the body’s antioxidant capacity (achieved by increasing glutathione/glutathione and reducing lipid peroxidation index TBARS), It can also increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), which may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
*High-density lipoprotein cholesterol plays an important role in vascular diseases. It can neutralize the hardening effect of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol on blood vessel walls and prevent its oxidation. Note 2
*Summary: Propolis can increase antioxidant efficacy and high-density good cholesterol, and has potential anti-cardiovascular disease effects, but more empirical confirmation is needed.
Propolis is beneficial for otitis media
Otitis media is a common bacterial infection in children. It is estimated that about 50%-85% of young children will experience an episode of acute otitis media before the age of 3, and the onset period is usually between 6-15 months.
Due to their physiological structure, young children are more susceptible to otitis media. Possible reasons include that the Eustachian tube is shorter, more elastic, and located in a horizontal position, making it easier for pathogens to invade.
The Eustachian tube usually does not mature until after the age of 7, which explains the decrease in incidence after this age. In addition, the immune system is also an important factor.
A controlled study (3 months of 122 children under 5 years old) found that propolis solution (with additional zinc) helped reduce the number of episodes of recurrent acute otitis media and the use of related drugs (antibiotics).
Propolis Benefits Genital Herpes
Genital herpes (HSV) is the fourth most common sexually transmitted disease, affecting billions of people around the world. There are two main viruses causing the disease, divided into type 1 and type 2 herpes simplex. Virus. Note 6
Herpes simplex virus type 1 mainly affects the oropharynx and genitals, while type 2 mainly affects the genital area. Both types of viruses are related to contact with patients’ secretions on the oral, genital or anal mucosal surfaces.
The incidence rate of genital herpes in most countries ranges from 2-74%, with great variability. In some African countries, the prevalence rate exceeds 70%, which not only increases the risk of HIV infection, but also increases the rate of HIV transmission.
A controlled study pointed out that propolis ointment is as effective as acyclovir/acyclovir (drugs for treating herpes) and placebo in treating genital herpes lesions and local symptoms. In addition, the incidence of repeated infections is also reduced to 55% (similar to compared to 66% of initial reviews).
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