     The Brazilian propolis produced by Africanized bees is composed by a mixture of wax and resins and has a great variety of colors and consistence. . Bees collect propolis from various parts of the plants like rind of trees, sprout and flower bud. Propolis can be considered the most efficient natural medicament discovered in the occident. There are scientists that believe propolis was used in popular medicine before the age of old Egypt. Propolis has been known since the times of old Greece. The word propolis, from Greek origin, is a combination of Pro (defense) and polis (city), which in general, means to defend a city. A city, in this case, refers to a hive, a place where bees work and live, and constitutes a real city (Matsuno, 1997: 15).
     For bees, the natural Propolis function is to impede the invasions of hive, protecting it from the attack of microorganisms. This protection increases the antibiotic, antiseptic and healing power of this product. According to LUDUVIG (1996: 103), in the seventies propolis was used only by naturalist persons to combat throat pains, infections and alleviate colds. The results of its application were so much and good that scientists from every part of the world started to research the product, getting interesting conclusions (p. 104). Both authors, Luduvig and Matsuno agreed on the point that oriental scientists, especially from Japan, are very interested in propolis produced in Brazil. For scientists, our propolis is considered the best of the world.
     One of these scientists, Tsuguo Yamamoto, from Japan Propolis Association and Ministry for Health of Japan in 1994, came to Brazil several times to develop projects with our universities. Luduvig emphasized in her work that according to Yamamoto, the propolis produced in Brazil has excellent quality because of our climate and flora; mainly the ones produced from apiaries situated next to rosemary and eucalypt trees (p.105). I agree with Yamamoto’s point of view in relation to our climate. Bees don’t like to work in winter, they prefer tropical climates as Brazil and New Zealand and consequently these are the countries that appear in the first positions of the schedule of production.
     Matsuno informed that the therapeutic effects of propolis have been distributed in the two big groups of active principles that it contains: flavonoid is considered the principal; phenolic acid and alcohol follow. (p.22). The quantity of each of these elements depends on the flora utilized by bees. Depending on the origin, propolis can contain more than 400 chemical substances, with functions still unknown in human physiology. It is believed that the ideal propolis is the one produced in regions without a minimum of environment pollution, distant from big towns and industries (p.23).
     Nowadays, many classes of people largely use propolis. After the discovery of propolis therapeutic action to combat even cancer, we can find it in different packages and forms in stores and markets. Propolis dissolved in alcoholic solution seems to be the most efficient kind of extract. I can affirm it because since the beginning of the eighties I have been using it against allergy and throat infections.

Sources:
- Matsuno, Tetsuya; Ph.D. – The therapeutic effect of propolis; Nova York, 1997.
- Luduvig, Monica Martinez. – Propolis; “Saúde”, Brazilian Magazine, May, 1996.

Tarcísio Martins - Jornalista
Gerente de Marketing - Conap