Hello,
 
I am writing a paper for a class regarding the medicinal properties of
propolis.  Some of the research (published in respected scientific journals)
seem very exciting and promising.
 
Frenkel, K., et al (1993) Cancer Research 53(6): 1255-61
        Describes how caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a potent
        chemopreventive agent due to its inflammatory and antioxidative
        properties.
 
Guarini, L., et al. (1992)  Cellular and Molecular Biology 38(5): 513-27.
        CAPE has toxicity toward oncogene-transformed cell lines.
        Also, in a dose-dependent fashion, human melanoma cells (HO-1) and
        human glioblastoma multiforme cells (GBM-18) were inhibited from
        growing by CAPE.
 
Other articles describe how ethanolic extracts of propolis (consisting
mostly of flavonoids) had an anti-virus and anti-oxidative properties, and
how aqueous extracts had anti-bacterial properties.
 
So, what is the opinion of the list?  This appears to be a successful
scientific follow-up to a folk remedy, and since I am interested in bees
and medicine, I hope these discoveries have a bright future.
 
Paul
 
--
Paul C. Cheng ([log in to unmask])     (no e-mail address as of yet)
Bee Biology, U.C. Davis                 Northwestern University Medical School
Lab phone no.: (916) 752-0333           Class of 2000