Sforcin J M
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Biosciences Institute, UNESP, 18618-000 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Aug 15;113(1):1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.05.012. Epub 2007 May 22.
Propolis has been used empirically for centuries and it was always mentioned as an immunomodulatory agent. In recent years, in vitro and in vivo assays provided new information concerning its mechanisms of action, thus a review dealing with propolis and the immune system became imperative. This review compiles data from our laboratory as well as from other researchers, focusing on its chemical composition and botanical sources, the seasonal effect on its composition and biological properties, its immunomodulatory and antitumor properties, considering its effects on antibody production and on different cells of the immune system, involving the innate and adaptive immune response. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated the modulatory action of propolis on murine peritoneal macrophages, increasing their microbicidal activity. Its stimulant action on the lytic activity of natural killer cells against tumor cells, and on antibody production was demonstrated. Propolis inhibitory effects on lymphoproliferation may be associated to its anti-inflammatory property. In immunological assays, the best results were observed when propolis was administered over a short-term to animals. Propolis antitumor property and its anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic potential are discussed. Since humans have used propolis for different purposes and propolis-containing products have been marketed, the knowledge of its properties with scientific basis is not only of academic interest but also of those who use propolis as well. This review opens a new perspective on the investigation of propolis biological properties, mainly with respect to the immune system.
几个世纪以来，人们一直在凭经验使用蜂胶，它一直被视为一种免疫调节剂。近年来，体外和体内试验提供了有关其作用机制的新信息，因此，一篇关于蜂胶与免疫系统的综述变得势在必行。这篇综述汇集了我们实验室以及其他研究人员的数据，重点关注其化学成分和植物来源、季节对其成分和生物学特性的影响、其免疫调节和抗肿瘤特性，考量其对抗体产生和免疫系统不同细胞的影响，涉及固有免疫和适应性免疫反应。体外和体内试验证明了蜂胶对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的调节作用，增强了它们的杀菌活性。证明了其对自然杀伤细胞针对肿瘤细胞的裂解活性以及对抗体产生的刺激作用。蜂胶对淋巴细胞增殖的抑制作用可能与其抗炎特性有关。在免疫学试验中，当给动物短期服用蜂胶时观察到了最佳结果。文中还讨论了蜂胶的抗肿瘤特性及其抗癌和抗诱变潜力。由于人类将蜂胶用于不同目的且含蜂胶产品已投放市场，因此，了解其具有科学依据的特性不仅具有学术意义，对使用蜂胶的人来说也很重要。这篇综述为蜂胶生物学特性的研究开辟了新视角，主要是在免疫系统方面。
