Antioxidant compounds from propolis collected in Anhui, China

Area of Science:

• Natural Products Chemistry
• Pharmacognosy
• Food Science

Background:

• Propolis, a natural resinous mixture produced by honeybees, is known for its diverse biological activities.
• The chemical composition and antioxidant properties of propolis can vary based on geographic origin and plant sources.
• Anhui, China, is a region where propolis is collected, but its specific antioxidant potential requires detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the antioxidant activities of different propolis extract fractions from Anhui, China.
• To identify the specific compounds responsible for the observed antioxidant effects.
• To determine the potential of Anhui propolis as a natural antioxidant source.

Main Methods:

• Extraction of propolis from Anhui, China, using chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol.
• Quantification of total phenolics and total flavonoids in the extract fractions.
• Assessment of antioxidant activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging assays.
• Evaluation of Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay.
• Isolation and antioxidant evaluation of twenty-two compounds from the ethyl acetate fraction.

Main Results:

• The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest content of total phenolics and total flavonoids.
• This fraction demonstrated superior radical scavenging capacities in DPPH and ABTS assays.
• The ethyl acetate fraction also showed the strongest Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power (FRAP).
• Phenolic compounds were identified as the primary contributors to the antioxidant activity.

Conclusions:

• Propolis collected in Anhui, China, possesses significant antioxidant properties.
• The ethyl acetate fraction is the most potent in terms of antioxidant activity due to its high phenolic and flavonoid content.
• The findings support the potential use of Anhui propolis and its phenolic constituents as natural antioxidants.