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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Baton Rouge, Louisiana » Honey Bee Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #331383
Title: Standard methods for Apis mellifera propolis research

Author
item BANKOVA, VASSYA - Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences
item BERTELLI,, DAVIDE - Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Ambientali
item BORBA, RENATA - University Of Minnesota
item CONTI, BRUNO JOSÉ - Institute Of Biology - Brazil
item CUNHA, ILDENIZE - State University Of Campinas
item DANERT, CAROLINA - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET)
item EBERLIN, MARCOS - State University Of Campinas
item FALCÃO, SORAIA - Instituto Politécnico De Bragança (IPB)
item ISLA, MARÍA INÉS - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET)
item MORENO, MARIA INÉS - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET)
item PAPOTTI, GIULIA - Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Ambientali
item POPOVA, MILENA - Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences
item SANTIAGO, KARINA BASSO - Institute Of Biology - Brazil
item SALAS, ANA - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET)
item SAWAYA, ALEXANDRA - State University Of Campinas
item SCHWAB, NICHOLAS - State University Of Campinas
item SFORCIN, JOSE MAURICIO - Institute Of Biology - Brazil
item Simone-Finstrom, Michael
item SPIVAK, MARLA - University Of Minnesota
item TRUSHEVA, BORYANA - Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences
item VILAS-BOAS, MIGUEL - Instituto Politécnico De Bragança (IPB)
item WILSON, MICHAEL - University Of Minnesota
item ZAMPINI, CATIANA - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET)

Submitted to: Journal of Apicultural Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/21/2016
Publication Date: 9/29/2016
Citation: Bankova, V., Bertelli,, D., Borba, R., Conti, B., Cunha, I., Danert, C., Eberlin, M., Falcão, S., Isla, M., Moreno, M., Papotti, G., Popova, M., Santiago, K., Salas, A., Sawaya, A., Schwab, N., Sforcin, J., Simone-Finstrom, M., Spivak, M., Trusheva, B., Vilas-Boas, M., Wilson, M., Zampini, C. 2016. Standard methods for Apis mellifera propolis research. Journal of Apicultural Research. doi:10.1080/00218839.2016.1222661.

Interpretive Summary: Propolis is one of the most fascinating honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) products. It is a plant derived product that bees produce from resins that they collect from different plants, mix with wax and incorporate into the hive structure. This manuscript serves as an overview of the available methods for studying propolis in different aspects: propolis in the bee colony, chemical composition and plant sources of propolis, biological activity of propolis with respect to bees and humans, and approaches for standardization and quality control for the purposes of industrial application.

Technical Abstract: Propolis is one of the most fascinating honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) products. It is a plant derived product that bees produce from resins that they collect from different plant organs and with which they mix beeswax. Propolis is a building material and a protective agent in the beehive. It also plays an important role in honey bees’ social immunity and is widely used by humans as an ingredient of nutraceuticals, over-the-counter preparations and cosmetics. Its chemical composition varies by geographic location, climatic zone and local flora. The understanding of the chemical diversity of propolis is very important in propolis research. In this manuscript, we give an overview of the available methods for studying propolis in different aspects: propolis in the bee colony, chemical composition and plant sources of propolis, biological activity of propolis with respect to bees and humans, and approaches for standardization and quality control for the purposes of industrial application.