Bees sift a resinous substance known as Propolis from tree buds and other botanical grounds to protect their hives, which is used in a range of traditional medicine and has antimicrobial properties.
Propolis has gained recognition in traditional medicine due to its health benefits, which include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and immunomodulatory properties.
The nature of its composition varies depending on the type of bee and the type of origin of the pollen It produces (e.g., the Brazilian green propolis), which is derived from the Africanized honeybee (Apis mellifera), and was recently researched and studied by Brazilian State University researchers and researchers from So Paulo State University (UNESP) and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU).
The primary component of artepillin C, a phenolic compound that has antitumor properties, is found in the resin of Baccharis dracunculifolia, which is native to Brazil.
Wallance Moreira Pazin, a professor at UNESP's Bauru School of Sciences, reported that the pH of the medium in which it is deposited can be modified by artepillin C, according to preliminary research.
The researchers aimed to understand the biochemical aspects of artepillin C-infected and non-arterial cells, with a focus on glioblastoma cells, the most common type of brain cancer.
To determine if the effects of artepillin C would be different in a more acidic microenvironment, researchers adjusted the pH of the culture medium and examined the possible effects of the latter on the extracellular microenvironment, as explained by Pazin in her research.
Subsequently, they used an optical microscope to observe the effects of the propolis on cell membranes, in particular the strong and fluid interactions between the tumor cells and activation of autophagy, which are processes that occur when abnormal or dysfunctional cellular components are damaged.
FAPESP provided financial assistance for four projects (16/0963-4, 17/23426-4, 18/22214-6, and 20/12129-1) in connection with the study, which Pazin believes can lead to the development of novel cancer treatments.
Despite evidence of the molecule's biological activities being highly efficient in in vitro trials, Pazin noted that some factors, such as low absorption and bioavailability, hinder the pharmacological action of oral or topical administration. To ensure effective treatment of tumors, artepillin C requires strategies to improve its therapeutic action, including the use of nanocarriers for controlled release.
The evaluation of Artepillin C against Tumor Cells in the Psychopharmaceutical Research Project (PHD), by Wallance M. Pazin, Renata R. Miranda, Karina A. Toledo, Frank Kjeldsen, Carlos J. L. Constantino, and Jonathan R. Brewer, has been published in Life on November 8, 2023, at 10.3390/life13112186.