Antibacterial activity of Turkish propolis and its qualitative and quantitative chemical composition

• Published in: Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 221 - 228
• Main Authors: Popova, M., Silici, S., Kaftanoglu, O., Bankova, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01.03.2005; Urban & Fischer Verlag; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial activity; Antibacterial agents; antibacterial properties; Bees; chemical composition; Chemical properties; Escherichia coli; flavones; flavonols; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Gram-Negative Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Positive Bacteria - drug effects; Humans; Medicine, Traditional; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; P. nigra; phenolic compounds; Phytotherapy; Populus; Populus euphratica; Populus nigra; Propolis; Staphylococcus aureus; Turkey; Turkish propolis; Turkey (country); Turkey; United States; Antibacterial activity; Populus euphratica; Turkish propolis; Bees; P. nigra
• ISSN: 0944-7113; 1618-095X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2003.09.007

The antibacterial activity of propolis from different regions of Turkey was studied, accompanied by TLC and GC-MS analyses of its chemical composition and spectrophotometric quantification of the most important active principles. All six samples were active against the bacterial test strains used; however, samples 1 (Yozgat), 2 (Izmir) and 3 (Kayseri) were more active than samples 4 (Adana), 5 (Erzurum) and 6 (Artvin). By TLC comparison all samples were found to contain poplar taxonomic markers but in samples 4 (Adana), 5 (Erzurum) and 6 (Artvin), different substances were observed, which were not present in P. nigra L. bud exudate. The typical poplar samples 1 (Yozgat), 2 (Izmir) and 3 (Kayseri) displayed very similar phenolic and flavonoid content. Samples 4 (Adana), 5 (Erzurum) and 6 (Artvin) were characterized by low phenolic and very low flavonoid concentrations. Qualitative analysis by GC-MS revealed that sample 4 (Adana) contained diterpenic acids and high percent of cinnamyl cinnamate, sample 5 (Erzurum)—significant amounts of hydroxy fatty acids and triterpenic alcohols, and sample 6 (Artvin)—phenolic glycerides, characteristic for the bud exudate of Populus euphratica Oliv. The results confirm the importance of phenolics for propolis antibacterial activity, and the significance of P. nigra L. as a propolis source, which provides the hive with the best defense against microorganisms.