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Department of Bacteriology, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade,
Dr Subotića 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial proper- also in organisms causing community acquired infec-
ties of ethanolic extract of 13 propolis (EEP) samples from tions (Levy 2002). Beside the well known pathogens,
different regions of Serbia against 39 microorganisms (14 re- resistance has appeared in opportunistic microorgan-
sistant or multiresistant to antibiotics), and to determine syn- isms (Levy 2002). Antimicrobial resistance results in
ergistic activity between antimicrobials and propolis. Anti-
increased illness, deaths, and health-care costs, high-
microbial activity of propolis samples was evaluated by agar
diffusion and agar dilution method. The synergistic action of lighting the need for novel antimicrobial agents.
propolis with antimicrobial drugs was assayed by the disc Propolis (bee glue) is a resinous product that honey-
diffusion method on agar containing subinhibitory concentra- bees collect from living plants and use in construction
tions of propolis. Obtained results indicate that EEP, irrespec- and adaptation of their hives (Bankova et al. 2000). Pro-
tively of microbial resistance to antibiotics, showed significant polis is extensively used in folk medicine, and a number
antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive bacteria (MIC of investigations have shown that propolis posses anti-
0.078%–1.25% of EEP) and yeasts (0.16%–1.25%), while bacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties (Mirzoeva
Gram-negative bacteria were less susceptible (1.25%–>5%). et al. 1997; Park et al. 1998; Kujumgiev et al. 1999;
Enterococcus faecalis was the most resistant Gram-positive Bosio et al. 2000; Drago et al. 2000; Hegazi et al. 2000;
bacterium, Salmonella spp. the most resistant Gram-negative
Sforcin et al. 2000; Hegazi and El Hady 2001; Ota et al.
bacteria, and Candida albicans the most resistant yeast. EEP
showed synergism with selected antibiotics, and displayed 2001). However, most studies were done only with a
ability to enhance the activities of antifungals. The shown limited number of strains and/or with strains of
antimicrobial potential of propolis alone or in combination unknown susceptibility to antibiotics. Moreover, it has
with certain antibiotics and antifungals is of potential medical been shown that there were variations in the antimicro-
interest. bial activity according to the propolis origin (Hegazi
et al. 2000; Hegazi and El Hady 2001).
Keywords: Antimicrobial activity – Propolis – Resistance – The objective of this work was to investigate anti-
Synergism microbial properties of 13 propolis samples obtained
from different regions of Serbia against 39 microorgan-
isms, and to explore synergistic activity between anti-
microbials and propolis.
Introduction
There is a steady increase in the incidence of antimicro- Materials and methods
bial resistance worldwide. Resistance has particularly
spread in pathogens causing nosocomial infections, but Propolis. Thirteen propolis samples were obtained from
the beehives situated in different areas of Serbia. The
Corresponding author: Srdjan Stepanović propolis samples were ground into a fine powder, and
e-mail: stepan@afrodita.rcub.bg.ac.yu thereafter 2 g of the each propolis powder was mixed
Table 1. Antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of 13 propolis samples obtained from different regions of Serbia
Region where Zone of inhibition of microbial growth (mm)
propolis was without the size of the hole
collected
Gram-positive bacteria Gram-negative bacteria Yeast
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Čačak 9 9 6 6 9 10 / / / 6 7 5 4
Zaklopača 10 13 8 7 11 12 / / 1 6 10 7 6
Raška 9 12 8 6 11 12 / 1 1 6 10 5 5
Vlasotince 9 12 7 6 10 13 / / / 4 10 6 5
Surčin 9 12 8 7 10 13 / / / 4 12 5 5
Pančevo 9 12 8 7 12 13 / / / 4 11 5 5
Kragujevac 10 12 7 6 13 12 / / / 5 11 6 5
East Serbia 1 9 12 8 6 11 12 / / / 2 10 5 5
East Serbia 2 10 11 7 6 13 12 / 1 / 5 10 5 5
East Serbia 3 10 12 8 7 10 12 / / / 4 11 6 5
East Serbia 4 10 12 8 7 10 12 1 1 1 2 10 6 6
Plandište 9 10 7 6 10 10 / / / 2 10 6 5
Aleksinac 11 12 7 6 10 11 1 2 1 6 11 6 5
1 = S. epidermidis ATCC 14990; 2 = S. aureus ATCC 25923; 3 = S. sciuri ATCC 29062; 4 = E. faecalis ATCC 29212; 5 =
B. subtilis; 6 = L. monocytogenes SLCC 2375; 7 = E. coli ATCC 25922; 8 = P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853; 9 = S. marscenscens;
10 = P. stuartii; 11 = C. guilliermondii; 12 = C. parapsilosis; 13 = C. albicans
Gram-positive bacteria
S. epidermidis (2) 2 17 6 1
S. xylosus (1) 1 11 1
S. lentus (1) 9 4
S. sciuri (2) 7 17 2
S. intermedius (1) 8 5
S. aureus (6) 12 59 7
M. luteus (2) 10 16
L. monocytogenes (1) 1 12
E. faecalis (2) 1 5 20
B. subtilis (2) 2 16 8
B. cereus (1) 10 3
Gram-negative bacteria
S. flexneri (1) 7 6
Y. enterocolitica (1) 4 9
S. typhimurium (1) 3 10
S. enteritidis (1) 4 9
E. coli (1) 3 5 5
K. pneumoniae (1) 10 2 1
S. marscescens (1) 2 2 9
P. stuartii (2) 11 7 8
M. morganii (1) 1 4 8
P. rettgeri (1) 3 6 4
P. aeruginosa (1) 6 4 3
Yeasts
C. guilliermondii (2) 1 17 8
C. parapsilosis (1) 7 6
C. albicans (3) 2 4 30 3
* The numbers presented were calculated as: number of propolis samles displaying indicated
MIC value × number of tested microbial strains
* Data presents the minimal and maximal values of 13 tested ethanolic extracts of propolis
** 1, no synergism; >1, synergism present
*** Because of known problems with interpretation of yeast susceptibility to antifungals, the diameter of the growth inhibition
zone around the nystatin is given.
were in the range of 0.078%–1.25% EEP, Gram-nega- method confirmed only small variations in the antimi-
tive bacteria 1.25%–>5% EEP, and yeasts 0.16–1.25% crobial activity according to the propolis origin. Similar
EEP. E. faecalis was the most resistant Gram-positive antimicrobial activity does not necessarily mean that
bacterium, Salmonella spp. was the most resistant there is no difference in the composition of tested pro-
Gram-negative bacteria, and C. albicans was the most polis samples, since Kujumgiev et al. (1999) observed
resistant yeast. that in different samples, different substance combina-
The results of synergy between antibiotics/antfungals tions are essential for the biological activity of the pro-
and 13 different EEP on multiresistant S. aureus, multi- polis.
resistant K. pneumoniae and C. albicans are presented Although the antimicrobial properties of propolis
in Table 3. have been the subject of many investigations, it is diffi-
cult to compare the results of different studies, due to the
different compositions of propolis and/or different
Discussion methods used for the evaluation of propolis antibacteri-
al activities (Drago et al. 2000). However, it is gener-
The chemical composition of propolis is very complex ally recognized that Gram-positive bacteria are more
and depends on the flora in the areas where it was col- susceptible to antibacterial action of propolis than
lected (Bankova et al. 2000). Therefore variations Gram-negative bacteria (Mirzoeva et al. 1997; Drago
shown in the antimicrobial activity according to the pro- et al. 2000; Sforcin et al. 2000), which is confirmed in
polis origin (Hegazi et al. 2000; Hegazi and El Hady this study on various microorganisms. The result of
2001) are not surprising. However, results of the evalu- particular interest of this study is that resistance of tested
ation of antimicrobial activities of 13 propolis samples bacteria to antibiotics has no influence on the suscep-
from different parts of Serbia, obtained by agar well dif- tibility to EEP.
fusion method revealed only minor variations in the The results of synergistic action of EEP with antibio-
antimicrobial activity according to the propolis origin. tics demonstrated potential of propolis to enhance anti-
Bosio et al. (2000) found that diffusion method is not biotic action and, thus, support previous findings on
suitable for comparison of the specimens since the mini- synergistic action between antibiotics and propolis
mal concentration of propolis that permitted measure- (Krol et al. 1993; Mirzoeva et al. 1997). However, dif-
ment of the diameter of the inhibition zone is relatively ferent propolis samples showed different potential to
high, and propolis solutions display irregular diffusion. enhance antibiotics actions. The inhibition zones around
However, MIC of the EEP obtained by agar dilution the discs of antibiotics, on which EEP had the influence,