Čes. slov. farm. 2009, 58(4):179-183

Determination of the constituents of propolis of different geographical origin

J. Muselík^1,*, R. Masteiková¹, V. Suchý², Z. Chalupová¹, V. Ostrá¹

¹ Veterinární a farmaceutická univerzita Brno, Farmaceutická fakulta, Ústav technologie léků

² Veterinární a farmaceutická univerzita Brno, Farmaceutická fakulta, Ústav přírodních léčiv

The structural diversity of propolis constituents, due to a larger number of plant sources, is the cause of diverse composition and the hitherto unsolved standardization. The principal share in the biological effects is ascribed to flavonoids and aromatic acids and their derivatives. The results presented in this paper illustrate the diversity of the compositions of ten propolis samples obtained from different regions of the Czech Republic and three samples from abroad. Attention was paid to the determination of polyphenols, content of flavones and flavonols and the assay of antioxidative activity. The results confirmed the variability of the parameters under study as well as the presence of chrysin, galangin, p-coumaric, ferulic, cinnamic and benzoic acids in dependence on the area of collection. It will be difficult to elaborate a method of standardization suitable for possible administration of propolis preparations. In the future, propolis could become a raw material for the isolation of individual groups of biologically active substances.

Keywords: propolis; flavonoids; phenolic acids; antioxidative activity; liquid chromatography

Grants and funding:

Tato práce vznikla za podpory projektu E 3694, PROPOCREAM, identifikační kód OE 235.

Received: July 20, 2009; Accepted: August 10, 2009; Published: April 1, 2009  Show citation