Bee Propolis: The Honey Bee’s Secret To Hive Health
Propolis
What is Propolis?
Honey bee workers visit flora and trees such as balsam, birch and poplar and collect the sap, carrying it back to the beehive on their legs in the same baskets used for collecting pollen. Once it is back in the hive the workers mix the sappy resins with beeswax to create the sticky mixture we call propolis.
In the beehive, propolis is used as a glue to hold hive parts together and to seal off holes. It is also used to create a sterile environment if a foreign substance is too large for the bees to remove from the hive.
Propolis has anti-bacterial and antifungal proprties that help the bees make their home more disease resistant.
Health Benefits of Propolis
Humans have used propolis for health throughout history. In human uses propolis is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal as well as anti-viral and anti-inflammatory; a natural antibiotic. It also has mild anesthetizing effects. It helps heal sore throats, bronchitis, inner mouth sores, gingivitis, acne, cuts, and is an immune system booster.
Typically propolis can be found for sale in three forms of extractives; water, oil or alcohol. It is also used to make tinctures mixed with other beehive products and/or herbs. Propolis extracted by alcohol is known to remove the highest amount of medicinal components from the propolis and it is easily absorbed by the body.
Propolis can be consumed for internal healing in the form of propolis milk. Propolis milk can be made by taking 30 to 50 drops (or as directed on the tincture bottle) in a small glass of warm water. The tincture will turn a milky white and may have a small amount of orange-y coating on the top. This is simply wax that has also dissolved in the alcohol and it is consumable too. It may stick to the sides of the cup, in which case it is best washed with cold water after you have consumed the milk. You can take propolis milk several times a day or once daily for maintenance.
When you want to take propolis for a cold, bronchitis, or lung infections, you can make a simple atomizer. Simply get a bowl and towel. Boil 1 cup of water and begin with one drop of propolis tincture into the water. Lean over the hot water and cover your head and the bowl with the towel and then inhale slowly. You can increase your does by one drop each time you do this over the duration of treating your illness.
A third method of treatment is to place a teaspoon of raw honey into your mouth and hold, allowing your saliva to thin the honey. Then add 30-50 drops of propolis. Hold this in your mouth again until very thin, letting it rest under your tongue if possible, then swallow slowly.
To use propolis externally, you can apply it on the affected area with a Q-tip (this also works well for sores inside the mouth). This is effective for disinfecting wounds.
Propolis is a natural product which the body can easily metabolize, making it a valuable addition to a natural medicine cabinet!
Water Soluble Propolis Extract
WATER SOLUBLE PROPOLIS EXTRACT
What is Propolis?
The name Propolis is a combination of two words; Pro = before + Polis = protecting, indicating that propolis is the pre-cleaner and defender of beehives. Pure propolis is a thoroughly natural bee product collected by bees from plants' leaves, stems, and buds, abundant in phenolic and flavonoid substances. Bees cover their cells with pure Propolis and then stacks honey, broods, and foods on them, ensuring that the products created by bees are preserved without deterioration in the hive. However, propolis harvested from the hive is not edible and needs to be processed to make it suitable for the digestive tract of humans. The processing conditions are crucial to preserving the nutritional value and the original quality of propolis. Our pure propolis extraction method was invented and developed with the RD studies by expert food engineers at ARI Technology Development area of Istanbul Technical University and awarded with technology prizes of TUBITAK (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), Technology Development Foundation of Turkey (TTGV), and Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) in 2016. Designed by the BEE'O experts and granted innovation award by TUBITAK, the processing method preserves the content of polyphenolics, terpenoids, amino acids, volatile organic acids, ketones, coumarins, quinones, vitamins, and minerals in Pure Anatolian Propolis, making it water-soluble. Extraction of the maximum level of nutrients from Pure Anatolian Propolis while removing impurities such as wax assures a standard quality in production.
Propolis is among the richest natural foods in phenolic and flavonoid components.
The product is free of any preservative, pigment, alcohol, gluten, sugar, and GMOs.
The product is produced according to Good Beekeeping Principles using the Contract-Based Beekeeping business model.
All the products are entirely natural and protected under patent. The packaging is performed at the facilities certified for standards of GMP, ISO 9000, ISO 22000, BRC, IFS, ISO 14001, and COVID-19 safe production. The products also have Halal, Kosher, and Organic certificates.
Ingredients: Contains 10% Pure Anatolian Propolis. The amount of Pure Anatolian Propolis is standardized.
This product was prepared using water and glycol (food-grade) solution to extract Pure Anatolian Propolis with the patented technology developed at the ARI Technology Development area of Istanbul Technical University.
Recommendations for Use: Adults over 11 years old may consume 20 to 80 drops and children 10 to 40 drops daily by mixing with warm and cold beverages such as water, milk, and fruit or vegetable juice. For example, you may add 20 drops of propolis to about 200 ml of beverage of your choice.
Storage Conditions: Please keep the product at room temperature (around 22°C) and protect it from higher temperatures and sunlight.
Shelf life: 36 months.
Research by the Centre of Excellence in Bee Products, Istanbul Technical University-2021.
Bee Propolis: The Honey Bee’s Secret To Hive Health
We all know that honey bees create delicious honey and beautiful wax, but they also make a fantastic substance called bee propolis. Like honey, propolis offers a myriad of scientifically researched benefits.
Propolis is a sticky “bee glue” that is used inside honey bee colonies. Composed of tree resins, wax, essential oils, pollen, and other components, propolis seals cracks and creates an aseptic envelope that keeps crowded colonies healthy.
What Is Bee Propolis?
Propolis is a dark-colored, sticky substance that honey bees use to seal cracks, waterproof the inside of the hive, and create an antiseptic propolis envelope.
Honey bees are considered a superorganism—no individual bee can make it on its own; instead, it is the collective work of the colony that is needed to survive. In nature, honey bees create colonies (or nests) inside of tree hollows. These spaces are roughly the same volume as two 5-gallon buckets (30-60 L). These small spaces can be the home to 20,000-30,000 honey bees. With so many individuals in such a small space, disease prevention and immune health are paramount. The propolis envelope serves as an antimicrobial layer, which benefits both individual immunity and colony health.
Propolis is composed mostly of resin, wax, essential oils, pollen, and other compounds. The composition of propolis will vary based on geographical location. The plants that are growing where I live may not be the same plants where you are. Because of this, more than 300 compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, phenolic aldehydes, sesquiterpene quinines, coumarins, amino acids, steroids, and inorganic compounds have been identified in propolis samples.
The majority of propolis (50%) is resin. Resin is collected from trees, bark, and leaf buds from conifers, poplars, birches, willows, and native plants. Plants secrete resin to protect young leaf buds from infection caused by pathogens, and to keep herbivores at bay.
Honey bees collect this resin on warm days. After biting a chunk of resin off of the plant, she chews the resin to soften it further and then places the resin in the pollen baskets on her legs to take back to the colony. Back at the colony, her sisters remove the resin from her pollen baskets and combine the resin with stomach enzymes and other substances to create propolis. The propolis is then used to seal cracks and create a propolis envelope.
The average honey bee colony produces around 150–200 g of propolis per year.
Propolis’s Rich History
Propolis has been used for centuries for its health benefits, and records show that the ancient Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Jews, and Greeks used propolis.
The ancient Jews called propolis tzori and used it as medicine. Tzori is mentioned many times in the Old Testament and is nearly indistinguishable from Balm of Gilead.
The Bible explains that the Balm of Gilead was a gift from the Queen of Sheba given to King Solomon. This balm was made from various resins from poplar trees. The Balm of Gilead was also one of the special incense used twice daily in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. There is also a Balm of Gilead tree, or Balsam Poplar, that is well known for it’s resinous buds that have healing properties.
Ancient Greeks created a perfume called polyanthus that utilized propolis. Hippocrates is said to have used propolis to cure wounds and ulcers. Pliny the Elder, a famous Roman, reported that propolis cured many ailments.
Health Benefits of Propolis
Several studies have evaluated the compounds of propolis and their efficacy in working with various health issues (Anjum et al., 2019).
Antibacterial- effective against Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus
Antifungal- propolis is effective against several fungi including several Candida spp.
Antitumoral- Components in propolis such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester and artepillin C were found to stop the spread and even destroy tumor cells.
Antiprotozoal- propolis has been found to be effective against giardiasis, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, trichomoniasis, and toxoplasmosis.
Anti-inflammatory- flavonoids in propolis have anti-inflammatory properties. These were found to improve arthritic inflammation in rodent studies.
Hepatoprotective- propolis can increase antioxidant activity against mercury-induced toxicity and liver damage from acetaminophen use.
Antioxidant- Aqueous propolis extracts protect the body from and remove free radicals due to the high polyphenol contents.
Antiviral- Propolis prevents viruses from entering the cells and prevents viral replication. Propolis has been shown to be effective against genital herpes infection (HSV-2), herpes simplex virus (type 1), and influenza virus A1 Hong Kong (H3N2).
Anticancer- Propolis contains flavonoids, which are effective against cancers. Propolis has been shown to stop breast cancers, lung cancer, oral cancer, esophagus, stomach, colorectal, prostate, and skin cancer.
Oral health – Propolis ethanolic extracts can decrease the bacteria in the mouth, decrease gum inflammation, and repair dental pulp.
Wound healing – Propolis has the ability to repair tissues and prevent wound infections.
How To Obtain Propolis
If you are a beekeeper, you are probably already very familiar with propolis. During your inspections, propolis can be scraped off woodenware and saved for later use. A propolis trap can also be added under the inner cover.
If you are not a beekeeper, propolis can be obtained from your local beekeeper. To find a beekeeper, try your Farmers Market, or reach out to your nearest Beekeeping Club. If you are still unsuccessful, online shops and Etsy may be an option. Propolis extracts are also available at health food stores.
You can also purchase toothpaste and mouthwash that contain propolis extract.
How To Use Propolis
Propolis tinctures can be made by dissolving propolis in clear grain alcohol (such as 75+ proof vodka or Everclear). Simply combine two parts propolis (by weight) to nine parts grain alcohol in a glass jar. Put the lid on and shake, then store the jar in a dark place. Shake the jar a few times a day for two weeks. After two weeks, strain the mixture with a coffee filter and store the finished tincture in a dark place.
The propolis tincture can be taken by mouth, added to mouthwash, applied to wounds or bandages, applied to cold sores, and added to hot tea to soothe sore throats.
Propolis Safety
Do not use propolis if you take blood thinners, as propolis can increase the risk of bleeding (Ohkura et al,. 2020).
Stop propolis at least two weeks before any planned surgery as it can slow blood clotting.
Propolis should not be used by those with a known allergy to bee stings, beeswax, or pollen.
About The Author
Nicole Gennetta is a Master Beekeeper (Cornell University), Certified Colorado Master Gardener, and Paramedic in Southern Colorado. She has a passion for learning and teaching others. Nicole is also the founder of Heritage Acres Market and the Backyard Bounty podcast, which provides helpful information for new and aspiring hobby farmers.
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Watch Nicole Gennetta of Heritage Acres Market and Heather Irvine of Herbal Academy talk about herbalism, bees, and herbs you can grow that are good for animals and good for us too in their video interview on YouTube or on Nicole’s own Backyard Bounty podcast!
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