Title:Propolis: Antineoplastic Activity, Constituents, and Mechanisms of Action
Volume: 23
Issue: 18
Author(s): Patricia Ruiz-Bustos, Efrain Alday, Adriana Garibay-Escobar, José Maurício Sforcin, Yulia Lipovka, Javier Hernandez and Carlos Velazquez*
Affiliation:
- Department of Chemistry-Biology, University of Sonora, Blvd. Luis Encinas y Rosales s/n, 83000, Son., Mexico
Keywords:
Propolis, Antiproliferative, Anticancer, Antitumor, Chemical composition, Mechanisms.
Abstract:
Propolis is a beehive product with great pharmacological potential, including antineoplastic
activity.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to provide an actual understanding of the existent scientific information
regarding the antiproliferative effect of propolis, proposed mechanisms of action, and
challenges to meet.
Methods: An assessment of the scientific literature was attained using the PubMed and SciFinder
platforms. Research papers, clinical trials, and reviews published between the years 2000 - 2021,
were considered. The words “anticancer”, “antitumor”, “antiproliferative” and “propolis” were used
in the search criteria.
Conclusion: A summary of several antiproliferative activities of different types of propolis is exposed.
The potential health benefits of propolis are discussed. The variable plant origin of propolis
partially accounts for its anti-cancer activities. Even when some mechanisms of action of propolis
have been proposed, much of the genesis of how this effect is produced is yet to be answered, including
several molecular mechanisms in different biological systems.