Sandra Aparecida Lima de Moura,1 Giuseppina Negri,2 Antoˆnio Salatino,3
Luiza Dias da Cunha Lima,1 Luana Pereira Antunes Dourado,1 Juliana Barros Mendes,4 Silvia Passos Andrade,4 Moˆnica Alves Neves Diniz Ferreira,1 and Denise Carmona Cara1
Institutions
1 Department of General Pathology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2 CEBRID—Department of Psychobiology, UNIFESP, R. Botucatu, 862, Biomedical Sciences, Brazil
3 Department of Botany, Biosciences Institute, University of Sa ̃o Paulo, R. do Mata ̃o 277, Sa ̃o Paulo, Brazil
4 Department of Physiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais-UFMG, Avenida Antoˆnio Carlos, 6627,
Pampulha, CEP 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Abstract
Propolis is a chemically complex resinous bee product which has gained worldwide popularity as a means to improve health condition and prevent diseases. The main constituents of an aqueous extract of a sample of green propolis from Southeast Brazil were shown by high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy/mass spectroscopy to be mono- and di-O- caffeoylquinic acids; phenylpropanoids known as important constituents of alcohol extracts of green propolis, such as artepillin C and drupanin were also detected in low amounts in the aqueous extract. The anti-inflammatory activity of this extract was evaluated by determination of wound healing parameters. Female Swiss mice were implanted subcutaneously with polyesther- polyurethane sponge discs to induce wound healing responses, and administered orally with green propolis (500 mg kg−1 ). At 4, 7 and 14 days post-implantation, the fibrovascular stroma and deposition of extracellular matrix were evaluated by histopathologic and morphometric analyses. In the propolis-treated group at Days 4 and 7 the inflammatory process in the sponge was reduced in comparison with control. A progressive increase in cell influx and collagen deposition was observed in control and propolis-treated groups during the whole period. However, these effects were attenuated in the propolis-treated group at Days 4 and 7, indicating that key factors of the wound healing process are modulated by propolis constituents.
* THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.