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Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Cameroonian propolis

The composition and content of biological active substances in propolis are influenced by the flora around the hive from which honeybees collect propolis. Therefore, twelve propolis samples harvested from two different regions in Cameroon were analyzed. The propolis was collected during 2008/2009 from traditional grass and rhapia hives of African honeybees (Apis mellifera adansonii) placed in trees (Adamoua-type) and hives placed on the at about 1.5 m (Bamenda-type). The quantity of phenols and flavonoids in the propolis samples, as well as their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, was investigated. All propolis samples showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans species with MIC values equal or bellow 50 mg/mL. However, extracts were inactive against Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The amount of total phenols in dry extracts was between 24 and 254 nmol/g. The content of total flavones and flavonols was even more variable (1−173 nmol/g). All the extracts were effective reducing agents and their activity was linearly dose dependent. However, the reducing powers of propolis extracts were significantly lower than the radical scavenging capacity of BHA. Statistically significant correlations between the content of total phenols and activity in all antioxidant assays were found. The botanical sources as well as region from which propolis samples were collected were related to their in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

propolis; Cameroon; composition; analysis; antimicrobial

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