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Source publication
Red propolis is a substance produced by bees by mixing resins from plants with wax, oils, and other secretions to protect the hive against natural enemies. Dalbergia ecastaphyllum (L.) Taub. (Fabaceae) is the primary botanical source of the Brazilian red propolis, where bees Apis mellifera L. collect a reddish resin from the stems to produce propol...
Citations
The red propolis is a bee product with great biotechnological potential due to its antimicrobial and therapeutic properties. The present study used technological mapping to investigate the antimicrobial activities of red propolis in patents deposited in Brazil (INPI) and in international databases such as the European Patent Office (Espacenet) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The results indicated that Brazil holds the highest number of patents related to red propolis, and propolis produced in Alagoas was the most cited. Class A61K was the most frequent, suggesting strong therapeutic potential, especially in dental applications. Public universities were the main patent depositors, with institutions in Alagoas standing out. The data also revealed potential for patent deposits in areas such as agriculture and new pharmaceutical applications, including the production of controlled-release devices and the synthesis of nanomaterials. Red propolis is a promising raw material for the development of products with antimicrobial activity, and the deposited patents indicate a growing interest in exploring its properties in various areas, including the pharmaceutical industry and agriculture.
This work aimed to develop a non-dairy functional beverage fermented with probiotic strains and fortified with Brazilian red propolis (microencapsulated and extracted). The non-dairy matrix consisted of oats (75 g), sunflower seeds (175 g), and almonds (75 g). It was fermented by a starter co-culture composed of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCMA 0743 and Debaryomyces hansenii CCMA 176. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was initially performed to verify the integrity of the microcapsules. The viability of the microorganisms after fermentation and storage, chemical composition (high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses), rheology, antioxidant activity, and sensory profile of the beverages were determined. After fermentation and storage, the starter cultures were well adapted to the substrate, reducing the pH (6.50 to 4) and cell count above 7.0 log CFU/mL. Lactic acid was the main organic acid produced during fermentation and storage. In addition, 39 volatile compounds were detected by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), including acids, alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes, alkenes, esters, ethers, phenols, terpenes, and others. The addition of propolis extract increased the antioxidant and phenolic activity and the presence of volatile esters but reduced the beverage’s acceptability. The addition of microencapsulated propolis was more associated with the presence of higher alcohols and had similar acceptance to the control beverage. The combination of a non-dairy substrate, a starter co-culture, and the addition of propolis led to the development of a probiotic beverage with great potential for health benefits.
The objectives were to investigate the effect of dynamic gastrointestinal digestion/Caco-2 cell transport on active compounds stability and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanolic extract of Brazilian red propolis (EEBRP), whether encapsulated or not; and the in vivo acute toxicity of the EEBRP after digestion. Eight isoflavonoids, one flavanone, and one chalcone were identified by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS, and quantified by HPLC-PDA. Bioaccessibility was higher for the encapsulated EEBRP (21.4%-57.6%) than for the nonencapsulated (19.3%-30.2%). Conversely, the Caco-2 cell transport was higher for the nonencapsulated EEBRP. Similarly, the nonencapsulated EEBRP showed higher ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species, which was especially attributed to calycosin, and to decrease NF-κB activation, and the levels of TNF-α and CXCL2/MIP-2 after Caco-2 cell transport. Hence, there is an indication that EEBRP is a promising alternative dietary source of bioavailable isoflavonoids. Further studies on encapsulation should be encouraged to improve bioactivity, and expand its food applications.
Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of crude Brazilian red propolis (BRP) extract against anaerobic bacteria involved in primary endodontic infection. Additionally, we evaluate the cell viability and free radical production of human dental pulp fibroblasts (HDPF) in direct contact with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and BRP.
Design
The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MIC, MBC) and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Biofilm (MICB50) of BRP against anaerobic endodontic pathogens were determined. HDPF were exposed to BRP10 (10 μg/mL), BRP50 (50 μg/mL), MTA extract (1:1, 1:2, 1:4 e 1:8), dimethyl sulfoxide 0.5% (DMSO), and cell culture medium (DMEM). The groups were tested for cell viability (MTT assay), and free radical production (reactive oxygen species - ROS, DCFH-DA probe and nitric oxide – NO, Griess reagent). The one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s tests were employed at a significance level of 5%.
Results
MIC/MBC values of BRP performed antibacterial activity for Parvimonas micra (6.25/6.25 µg/mL), Fusobacterium nucleatum (25/25 µg/mL), Prevotella melaninogenica (50/100 µg/mL), Prevotella nigrescens (50/100 µg/mL), Prevotella intermedia (50/100 µg/mL), and Porphyromonas gingivalis (50/200 µg/mL). The MICB50 values ranged from 1.56 to 50 μg/mL. BRP and MTA stimulated cell viability, emphasizing BRP10 (p=0.007). Furthermore, it was observed that MTA 1:1, MTA 1:2, and BRP50 slightly increased ROS (p<0.001) and NO production (p=0.008, p=0.007, and p<0.001 respectively) compared to DMEM group.
Conclusions
BRP exhibits good antibacterial activity against endodontic pathogens, and both BRP and MTA promote the viability of HDPF without increasing NO and ROS production.
