Propolis

Propolis is a substance of brown color (can vary from yellow to brown with different shades), which has a pleasant peculiar odor, sticky and resinous in consistency. Propolis is produced by bees. They close the gaps in the hive, which allows to keep the warmth, disinfect cells and wrap the objects and even small rodents falling into the hive.

Bees create propolis from special sticky substances collected from buds of resinous trees in spring. Propolis is processed by enzymes of bees. The exact mechanism of propolis production has not been investigated yet.

The composition of propolis:  The chemical composition of propolis is very complex and has not been fully studied.   There is below an approximate composition :

• Vegetable fragrant resins (55%);
• Essential oils (8-10%);
• Wax (25-30%);
• Tannins (4-10%);
• Balsamins (6%);
• Pollen (5-10%);

Microelements: vanadium, aluminum, iron, selenium, cobalt, copper, zinc, silicon, calcium, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum and many others.   Vitamins: A, B1, B2, E, C, P, betacarotene, fatty and amino-organic  acid.

 There are 19 groups of different compounds, consisting of 800 compounds.

Propolis becomes very fragile at temperatures below zero. It melts at a temperature of 65 * C.

Propolis is harvested in summer and autumn. The bees produce propolis of two kinds: high and low quality. The first form consists of 70% secretion and resinous substances, and propolis of poor quality is more viscous, resins and 50% of secretion.

Application:

Propolis has found wide application in folk medicine due to its biological activity. It has detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, bactericidal, analgesic properties, it can restrain the development of putrefactive processes.

Propolis is used in treatment of:

• skin diseases;
•  diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
•  lung and tuberculosis diseases;
•  Colitis, stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers;
• gynecological diseases;
•  used in dentistry, etc.