• Chemical composition and biological properties of Iranian propolis
  • Fariba Asgharpour,1,* Mohamad Javad Alizadeh,2
    1. Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Para-Medicine; Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
    2. Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran


  • Introduction: Propolis is a natural product that is produced by honeybees from parts of plants, buds, and exudates. It has pharmacological and biology properties, which are related to its chemical composition. The general composition of this substance varies in different geographical locations and climates. The biological characteristics of propolis are attributed to its chemical composition especially polyphenols and flavonoids.
  • Methods: Having regarded the importance of acquiring drugs from natural sources, the purpose of the literature review was to summarize recent studies (PubMed, Scopus) on progress in active ingredients, pharmacological effects and extraction methods.
  • Results: Flavonoids, phenols, terpenes, and aromatic acid compounds are the main chemicals that characterize the different extracts of Iranian propolis. The diversity of flavonoid compounds in Iranian propolis showed the typical pattern of “poplar” propolis. Flavanone was the most dominant compound of flavonoids that were important for antioxidant activity. The extracts of most types of Iranian propolis and its flavonoids showed greater antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Cytotoxic effect of extracts on cancer cell lines showed that ethanolic extracts had more inhibitory effects on cell lines than the other extracts. The obtained results of Iranian propolis supported anti-inflammatory effects on cancer cells.
  • Conclusion: The mechanism of action of propolis is still unclear, due to the synergistic interaction of the ingredients of propolis, and this natural substance has multi-target activity in the cell and it may play a promising role in the complementary medicine. The broad-spectrum biological potentials of Iranian propolis present it as an ideal candidate for the development of new, potent, and cost-effective herapeutic product.
  • Keywords: Biological, Chemical composition, Flavonoids, Propolis