Cancer and green propolis.
The anticancer action of propolis
By Prof. Roch Domerego
President of the European Company of Apitherapy, Apimondia
Vice President of Apitherapy Commission of Apimondia
A number of publications have shown that Brazilian propolis, particularly the kind coming from the tree «Baccharis dracunculifolia» also known as field Rosmarin can successfully combine with chemotherapies and even impede the development of cancer cells though different mecanisms.
First its strong antioxidant action: oxidation of cells is one of the most frequent co-factor of cancer. Flavonoids concentrated in green propolis are very active antioxidants (Popeskovich et al, 1980). Propolis extract exhibits good scavenging activity on free raadicals (A. Russo 2002).
Secondly a direct anticancer action. Ethanolic extract of green propolis demonstrated i vitro its cytotoxic and cytostatic activity against precancerous cells of the ovaries and of sarcoma-like tumor in rats (Ross 1990). The phenyl ester of cafeic acid (CAPE) exhibits a cytotoxic action in cultures of human and animal tumor : breast carcinoma, melanoma, colon and renal cancer (Gruberger et al, 1988). Another component isolated from from green propolis, Artepiline C demonstrate in vitro a cytotoxic effect on human cells of gastic carcinoma, lung carcinoma as well as precancerous colon cells in rats (Kimoto et al 1995).
Further there is the immunostimuland effect. Propolis ca sstimulate the immune response in rats (Manolova et al 1987). More recently japanese researchers the relationship that propolis extract has to the phenomenon of activation of macrophages linked to immune functions in humans (Moryasu et al 1993).
Propolis has greater efficacy than its components : certain compound of propolis known for their anticancer activity are weaker in their activity against metastases when administered individually compared to the effect of propolis given directly to the mice. One example : untreated mice developed an average of 62 metastases. With injections of cafeic acid the figues decreases to an average of 43, and to 22 with propolis. Researchers have come to the conclusion that there is in fact a synergy between the differents components optimizing the results. (Of note is the fact that if treatement is adiministered before the triggering of the cancer, the results are even better.)
Green propolis increases the effects of chemotherapies. Two kinds of studies support this proposition. The first, sone by a team from Zagreb showed that propolis has greater efficacy than a products frequently used in chemotherapy, Epirubicine. Here, untreated mice developped in average 62 metastases ; under chemotherapy the number went down to 28 in average and to 15 with propolis. When both modalities, chemotheray and propolis, are associated the number of metastses goes down to 4 ! Another study, from Japan, comes to a similar conclusion concerning the volume of the metastases. Wether in association with either Mitomycin or with 5-FU, both used in the treatment of cancer, propolis stops their growth within three weeks, where chemotherapies only slowed it.
Propolis improves the blood formula during treatement : the secondary effects of chemotherapies are well known. One of those, the damage to the blood formula, with a major decrease of the white and red blood count, threatens sometimes the therapy. Here too if one associates propolis to chemotherapy, estonishing results can be observed . White blood number decreases but to a lesser degree. The red cells number returns to norm after 35 days of treatement.
In summary one can say that, speaking of cancer, whether about prevention or about healing an active lesion, keeping available all classical treatments, the addition of green propolis is a major improvement.
