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Extraction and Analysis of Taiwanese Green Propolis
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Extraction and Analysis of Taiwanese Green Propolis

Published on: January 7, 2019

Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates to propolis extract alone or in combination with

Robert D Wojtyczka1, Arkadiusz Dziedzic, Danuta Idzik

  • 1Department and Institute of Microbiology and Virology, School of Pharmacy and Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Jagiellońska 4, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Katowice, Poland.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Ethanolic extract of Polish propolis (EEPP) shows antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA. EEPP enhances the effect of several antibiotics, suggesting potential for combination therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Natural Products Chemistry
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA), is a significant global health concern.
  • Propolis, a resinous mixture produced by honeybees, possesses known antimicrobial properties.
  • Exploring natural compounds like propolis offers potential alternative or adjunct therapies against resistant bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of Polish propolis (EEPP) against clinical isolates of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and MRSA.
  • To investigate the combined effects of EEPP with selected antistaphylococcal drugs on S. aureus.

Main Methods:

  • Chemical composition analysis of EEPP using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
  • Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) via broth microdilution.
  • Assessment of combined antimicrobial effects using disk diffusion assays.

Main Results:

  • EEPP demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against twelve S. aureus strains, with MICs ranging from 0.39 to 0.78 mg/mL.
  • MBC values for EEPP were between 0.78 and 3.13 mg/mL.
  • EEPP exhibited synergistic effects when combined with cefoxitin, clindamycin, tetracycline, tobramycin, linezolid, trimethoprim+sulfamethoxazole, penicillin, and erythromycin, enhancing their antimicrobial activity.

Conclusions:

  • Ethanolic extract of Polish propolis possesses notable in vitro antimicrobial activity against MSSA and MRSA.
  • EEPP can potentiate the efficacy of several conventional antibiotics against S. aureus.
  • This suggests that Polish propolis may serve as a valuable component in combination therapies against staphylococcal infections.

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