Propolis is a resin collected by bees from various sources and parts of plants, being used by them to protect the entry of fungi and bacteria in their hives. Its composition depends on the season, vegetation and place of collection. It has a characteristic aroma (balsamic and resinous), depending on the botanical origin, color varying from red, yellow, light greenish to dark brown.
Due to the great biodiversity in Brazil, its chemical composition varies with the flora of the region, places and times of collection, and with the genetic characteristics (genus and species of bees). Therefore, there are different types of propolis in nature and each one has specific characteristics, since this set of factors plays an enormous role in its physical, chemical and biological properties.
There are more than ten subtypes, including green propolis, red propolis, brown propolis, yellow propolis, black propolis and geopropolis. These are distinguished by color, odor and consistency.
Green Propolis: green propolis comes from rosemary (Baccharis dracunculifolia), better known as Vassourinha do campo. This type of propolis has as a chemical marker a phenolic compound called Artepillin C, this type is produced mainly in the south, east, center and forest zone of Minas Gerais, east of São Paulo, north of Paraná and in mountainous regions of Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. Green propolis is known for its biological properties, such as: antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, healing, anesthetic, anticancer and anticariogenic.
Red Propolis: is a type of propolis found in the north and northeast of Brazil and present, for example, in the mangroves of the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia. The resin collected by bees for its manufacture comes from a plant popularly known as rabo de bugio (Dalbergia ecastophyllum (L) Taub). This plant secretes red exudate (secretions) (which explains its color) through holes made by insects in its stem and bees visit and collect this resin for the manufacture of propolis. This propolis has as its major constituent phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, anthraquinones and phenols. It has constituents never found in other types of propolis and extracts of this showed antitumor and antioxidant activities in vitro, but it is necessary to establish the efficacy and safety of the products obtained.
Yellow propolis: yellow propolis is common in Mato Grosso do Sul. In general, it has low levels of phenolic compounds and flavonoids (substances responsible for the main properties attributed to propolis).
Brown Propolis: brown propolis can be found in the Southeast and South of Brazil. It has antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
Black Propolis: Black propolis is manufactured by bees from resin collected from a plant called Jurema Preta (Mimosa Hostilis benth). It is a tree present practically in almost all northeast of Brazil. The scientific literature shows few reports about this type of propolis and its hydro-alcoholic extract, being more addressed in other propolis.
Geopropolis: the term geopropolis is used to differentiate the propolis produced by stingless bees from that produced by other species. This type of propolis is produced, for example, by the stingless bees Mandaçaia, Manduri and Jataí. In Brazil, Indians used geopropolis in the manufacture of tools and as a gift for burials. It has antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
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Source – Apacame.org.br, Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy, Ciência Rural.
