RESUMEN
Propolis is produced by honeybees from materials collected from plants they visit. It is a resinous material having mixtures of wax and bee enzymes. Propolis is also known as bee glue and used by bees as a building material in their hives, for blocking holes and cracks, repairing the combs and strengthening their thin borders. It has been extensively used since ancient times for different purposes in traditional human healthcare practices. The quality and composition of propolis depend on its geographic location, climatic zone and local flora. The New Zealand and Brazilian green propolis are the two main kinds that have been extensively studied in recent years. Their bioactive components have been found to possess a variety of therapeutic potentials. It was found that Brazilian green propolis improves the cognitive functions of mild cognitive impairments in patients living at high altitude and protects them from neurodegenerative damage through its antioxidant properties. It possesses artepillin C (ARC) as the key component, also known to possess anticancer potential. The New Zealand propolis contains caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) as the main bioactive with multiple therapeutic potentials. Our lab performed in vitro and in vivo assays on the extracts prepared from New Zealand and Brazilian propolis and their active ingredients. We provided experimental evidence that these extracts possess anticancer, antistress and hypoxia-modulating activities. Furthermore, their conjugation with γCD proved to be more effective. In the present review, we portray the experimental evidence showing that propolis has the potential to be a candidate drug for different ailments and improve the quality of life.
Asunto(s)
Ansiolíticos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Própolis/farmacología , Animales , Brasil , Ácidos Cafeicos/farmacología , Humanos , Nueva Zelanda , Alcohol Feniletílico/análogos & derivados , Alcohol Feniletílico/farmacología , Fenilpropionatos/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Propolis, also known as bee-glue, is a resinous substance produced by honeybees from materials collected from plants they visit. It contains mixtures of wax and bee enzymes and is used by bees as a building material in their hives and by humans for different purposes in traditional healthcare practices. Although the composition of propolis has been shown to depend on its geographic location, climatic zone, and local flora; two largely studied types of propolis: (i) New Zealand and (ii) Brazilian green propolis have been shown to possess Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) and Artepillin C (ARC) as the main bioactive constituents, respectively. We have earlier reported that CAPE and ARC possess anticancer activities, mediated by abrogation of mortalin-p53 complex and reactivation of p53 tumor suppressor function. Like CAPE, Artepillin C (ARC) and the supercritical extract of green propolis (GPSE) showed potent anticancer activity. In this study, we recruited low doses of GPSE and ARC (that did not affect either cancer cell proliferation or migration) to investigate their antistress potential using in vitro cell based assays. We report that both GPSE and ARC have the capability to disaggregate metal- and heat-induced aggregated proteins. Metal-induced aggregation of GFP was reduced by fourfold in GPSE- as well as ARC-treated cells. Similarly, whereas heat-induced misfolding of luciferase protein showed 80% loss of activity, the cells treated with either GPSE or ARC showed 60-80% recovery. Furthermore, we demonstrate their pro-hypoxia (marked by the upregulation of HIF-1α) and neuro-differentiation (marked by differentiation morphology and upregulation of expression of GFAP, ß-tubulin III, and MAP2). Both GPSE and ARC also offered significant protection against oxidative stress and, hence, may be useful in the treatment of old age-related brain pathologies.
Asunto(s)
Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacos , Fenilpropionatos/farmacología , Própolis/química , Própolis/farmacología , Animales , Biomarcadores , Brasil , Fraccionamiento Químico , Humanos , Hipoxia/genética , Hipoxia/metabolismo , Fenilpropionatos/química , Extractos Vegetales , Própolis/aislamiento & purificación , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismoRESUMEN
Propolis, a resinous substance collected by honeybees by mixing their saliva with plant sources, including tree bark and leaves and then mixed with secreted beeswax, possesses a variety of bioactivities. Whereas caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) has been recognized as a major bioactive ingredient in New Zealand propolis, Brazilian green propolis, on the other hand, possesses artepillin C (ARC). In this study, we report that, similar to CAPE, ARC docks into and abrogates mortalin-p53 complexes, causing the activation of p53 and the growth arrest of cancer cells. Cell viability assays using ARC and green propolis-supercritical extract (GPSE) revealed higher cytotoxicity in the latter, supported by nuclear translocation and the activation of p53. Furthermore, in vivo tumor suppression assays using nude mice, we found that GPSE and its conjugate with γ cyclodextrin (γCD) possessed more potent anticancer activity than purified ARC. GPSEγCD may thus be recommended as a natural, effective and economic anticancer amalgam.