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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Extraction and Analysis of Taiwanese Green Propolis
06:50

Extraction and Analysis of Taiwanese Green Propolis

Published on: January 7, 2019

Cytotoxic constituents of propolis from Myanmar and their structure-activity relationship

Feng Li1, Suresh Awale, Yasuhiro Tezuka

  • 1Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.

Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin
|December 3, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Cytotoxic cycloartane triterpenes and prenylated flavanones from Myanmar propolis were tested against cancer cells. A cycloartane triterpene (3) showed potent activity against B16-BL6 melanoma cells.

Area of Science:

  • Natural Products Chemistry
  • Pharmacology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Propolis, a natural resinous mixture produced by honeybees, is known for its diverse biological activities.
  • Myanmar propolis is a rich source of bioactive compounds, including triterpenoids and flavonoids.
  • Cytotoxicity evaluation of natural products is crucial for identifying potential anticancer agents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize cycloartane-type triterpenes and prenylated flavanones from Myanmar propolis.
  • To evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity of these isolated compounds against a panel of murine and human cancer cell lines.
  • To investigate the structure-activity relationships of the tested compounds.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and purification of compounds from propolis using chromatographic techniques.
  • Chemical characterization of isolated compounds using spectroscopic methods (NMR, MS).
  • In vitro cytotoxicity assays using the MTT method against six cancer cell lines (Colon 26-L5, B16-BL6, Lewis lung carcinoma, A549, HeLa, HT-1080).

Main Results:

  • Seventeen compounds were isolated: thirteen cycloartane-type triterpenes and four prenylated flavanones.
  • Cycloartane-type triterpene (3), 3alpha,27-dihydroxycycloart-24E-en-26-oic acid, exhibited potent cytotoxicity against B16-BL6 melanoma cells (IC50 = 5.91 microM), comparable to doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil.
  • Prenylated flavanone (14), (2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy-8,3'-diprenylflavanone, showed strong cytotoxicity across all tested cancer cell lines (IC50 range: 14.0–26.4 microM).

Conclusions:

  • Myanmar propolis contains cytotoxic cycloartane triterpenes and prenylated flavanones with potential anticancer properties.
  • Compound 3 and compound 14 are promising leads for further investigation as anticancer agents.
  • The study provides insights into the structure-activity relationships of these natural products against various cancer types.

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