Expanding the amplitude of propolis uses

Propolis is an apiculture product containing beeswax, bee saliva and resins that bees collect from selected plants. Among the various uses of propolis by the hive, protection against natural enemies, chiefly of microbial origin, stands out, contributing to enhance the hive immunity and resistance against infection. Most known types of propolis have phenolic substances as main resin constituents. Several phenolic compounds from propolis including flavonoids, are active against bacteria. Experiments and clinical practice have shown that propolis is helpful in several areas, the antibacterial activity of propolis constituents being the driving force of the performance. Propolis extracts have been used as preservative of several kind of animal and plant derived foods, food packages, as well as in veterinary, dentistry and therapies for human care against infectious diseases. Propolis extracts have been used experimentally as adjuvant in antibiotic therapy against infectious diseases, with positive results regarding reduction of effective doses of the antibiotic, and is expected as well to reduce the risk of development of bacteria resistance against antibiotics. Hospital therapies have benefited of the association of propolis extract as adjuvant with drugs used in the treatment of COVID-19. Fostering the uses of propolis in therapies require the development of active fractions of propolis, containing a limited number of constituents and exact qualitative and quantitative constitution.