The effect of propolis administration on fetal development

Propolis is one of the bee products that widely used in health therapy. However, there has no study evaluating the developmental toxicity of propolis. This study was aimed to analyze the effect of propolis administration during pregnancy on fetal development. The pregnant mice were divided into five groups including control group (Tween 80 1%), low-dose (380 mg/kg b.wt.) and high-dose (1400 mg/kg b.wt.) of water extract of propolis from Banten (WEB), and low-dose (380 mg/kg b.wt.) and high-dose (1400 mg/kg b.wt.) of ethanol extract of propolis from South Sulawesi (EES). Propolis was administered for 18 days of gestation and then sacrificed to analyze the fetal development by examining external and skeletal abnormalities. The histopathological examination of placenta was also conducted. The result showed both low-dose groups did not inhibit fetal development. However, the high-dose of EES significantly reduced the weight, crown-rump of fetuses and increased the number of resorption (p < 0.05). Fetal weight was the only significantly reduced parameter of fetal growth in the highdose group of WEB (p < 0.05). The histopathological examination of placenta showed a reduction of labyrinth development in both high-dose groups. Dose of 380 mg/kg dose of Indonesian propolis is relatively safe for consumption during pregnancy.