Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Propolis from Native Bees (Plebeia frontalis) against Canine Distemper Virus

Abstract

Propolis is a natural substance made from resins collected from trees and plants, and which bees combine with pollen, wax, and their own enzymes. It has a complex chemical composition that varies with the harvest season, vegetation type, bee species, and geographical region. Thanks to its components, it has valuable biological properties such as antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activity. For this study, a sample of propolis harvested in April 2019 was used, which came from a bee native to Mexico (Plebeia frontalis) in whose geographical environment there are seven other native species. Canine distemper virus is an RNA virus that causes a systemic infection with high fatality rates in guests without protective immunity. In this work, the antiviral effect of Plebeia frontalis propolis on canine distemper virus was tested, administering it one hour before and simultaneously to infection. The antiviral effect was evaluated by determining cellular viability with the MTT assay. The results obtained show that this propolis has a statistically significant antiviral effect on both treatments, although it is slightly better when applied one hour before viral infection, so we can recommend it as an antiviral treatment in both domestic animals and human beings. There are currently few studies of the antiviral effect of propolis, this being the first study of a melliponium propolis in veterinary medicine.