Identification of constituents of propolis and biological activity of substances isolated by biomonitoring column fractions

• Grant number: 11/06423-5
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: July 01, 2011 - June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Applied Botany
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Salatino
• Grantee: Antonio Salatino
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Maria Luiza Faria Salatino

Abstract

: Propolis is a complex mixture of substances, comprising beeswax and plant exsudates. Bees use propolis to seal holes in the hive, to line the hive internally and maintain an inner sterile environment, among other uses. Propolis pharmacological properties have been known since a long time, such as antimicrobial, antiinflamatory, antioxidant and anticancer. Studies about biological activities of Brazilian propolis have been carried out using polar extracts of southeast green and, more recently, of northeast red propolis. However, the study of the less polar extracts of green propolis and of propolis from other Brazilian regions is very important as a means to discover new compounds, which may turn out useful for human and animal health. This project aims to identify and isolate substances of two green propolis samples from Minas Gerais (Lavras and Viçosa), three samples from Santa Catarina and one black propolis sample from Piauí (Picos). Propolis samples will be extracted with solvents with increasing polarity (hexane, chlroroform, ethyl acetate and methanol) and the extracts will be tested for antioxidant (DPPH and ²-caroten methods), anti-HIV (reverse transcriptase inhibition) and tested for killing activity against ticks. The latter activity will be evaluated regarding Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. (Boophilus) microplus and Amblyomma cajennense. Extracts exhibiting promising activities will be fractioned by column chromatography with silica gel. The extracts and fractions will be analyzed by GC/MS, CLAE and CLAE/MS/MS. The fractions obtained will be further tested in new bioassays until the attainment of isolated active substances. The compounds will be identified by GC/MS or HPLC/MS/MS and current spectroscopy analyses in chemistry of natural products (IR, UV and NMR). (AU)