What Is Propolis

Propolis is a mysterious substance produced by mysterious creatures. Honey bees produce propolis by collecting resins from trees such as coniferous and poplar species (amongst others), and combine that with beeswax, pollen and their own amazing enzymes. Propolis is extremely variable depending on bioregion and season.

Since the beginning, beekeepers have observed that honey bees coat the interior of the hive with this resinous substance. The bees plug holes, waterproof, polish wax cells and hold the hive together with this glue. The healthy hive resists bacterial, fungal, and mold attacks. Honey bees are extremely clean insects.

I have personally seen a mouse skeleton (probably stung to death by the hive) completely encased in propolis, effectively preserving it from bacterial invasion.

I have applied propolis tincture to fresh bleeding cuts (on myself and others) and seen the results. The bleeding immediately stops, the pain abates, and healing begins. The propolis forms a resinous bandage over the wound protecting it from further infection. I have used propolis on warts with results within days. Propolis reduces inflammations of the mucous membranes, cures canker sores, also with amazing and immediate results. Propolis is by no means a cure all for every malady but when it comes to cuts from my experience there is no finer first aid.

Years ago in Russia and European countries where beekeeping has a long history, modern scientists began testing propolis in the laboratory in controlled experiments to prove or disprove the thousands of years of anecdotal evidence. Scientists and doctors decided to test propolis on infectious bacteria and viruses. First they cultured various pathogens which included, Corynebacterium diphtheria (causes diphtheria), Salmonella typhus B (paratyphus), Listeria monocytogenes(brain membrane inflammation), Staphylococci species(cause of infections and inflammation of lungs, kidney, brain, middle ear, eyes, meningitis, and was present in the Asian flu epidemic in the late 1950's), and a proteus, or Pseudomonas auruginosa (responsible for digestive system disturbances, which on the whole, antibiotics are no longer effective against).

Then each culture was inoculated with various dilutions of propolis solution. In each case propolis effectively defeated or inhibited the growth of each of these pathogens. This experiment was also conducted using a "blind". The scientists performing the experiment did not know that the chemists had mixed a synthetic propolis, combining resins, balsams, wax and pollen, which was tested alongside the bee's propolis. It was noted that the "synthetic" propolis produced little to no effect on the same pathogens. Propolis would have had less validity if the artificial propolis had produced the same effects. Thus the key to this synergy is in the beautiful body of the bee itself; without the bee there could bee no propolis.

After the tests on bacteria, the Microbiological Institute at the University of Ljubljana, tested propolis on the influenza virus A. This time propolis was in combination with honey, pollen, and royal jelly. Scientists inoculated two chicken embryos, one with just the propolis combination, and the other with the influenza virus A/ propolis combination. The embryo inoculated with the propolis/honey continued to grow showing that this combination was not toxic to the organism.

The second inoculation showed strong inhibition of the influenza virus. The scientists continued the experiment by diluting the propolis preparation, and showed positive results in dilutions as low as 1:4 million! Bee products had proven themselves to the scientific world to be effective against viruses. Other tests have also been done on the herpes virus with equally positive results.

Doctors at the Oncology institute in Ljubljana performed studies with a propolis/honey mixture. Patients who were receiving radiation treatment for malignant tumors of the oral cavity, tongue and throat were chosen to take the propolis/honey mixture. The radiation treatment the patients received was usually followed by a secondary infection of the mucous membranes, radium mucositis. This infection leaves the patients with extremely painful swallowing and many would choose to not eat, thus further weakening the body. Radiation treatment also disrupts red blood cell counts. The patients given the propolis mixture either had complete relief from this infection or had only mild symptoms. The pain and swelling were alleviated to the point where the patients could eat. Red blood cell counts also stabilized

As beekeepers we can not say that propolis is a medicine. Thousands of years of results speak for themselves. Validation by the scientific community is just icing on the cake. Propolis has incredible potential for human kind. The bees and all that they produce are good for us. How can we ever repay them?

Timothy McFarline