Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of propolis of Plebeia droryana and Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae) from the Brazilian Cerrado biome

PLoS One. 2017 Sep 12;12(9):e0183983. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183983. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Propolis is a complex bioactive mixture produced by bees, known to have different biological activities, especially in countries where there is a rich biodiversity of plant species. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition and evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of Brazilian propolis from the species Plebeia droryana and Apis mellifera found in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. In the ethanolic extracts of P. droryana propolis (ExEP-P) and A. mellifera (ExEP-A) acids, phenolic compounds, terpenes and tocopherol were identified as major compounds. Both extracts presented antioxidant activity against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, the maximum activities being 500 μg/mL (ExEP-P) and 300 μg/mL (ExEP-A). However, only ExEP-A was able to inhibit lipid peroxidation induced by the oxidizing agent 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), which inhibited oxidative hemolysis and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in human erythrocytes for 4 h of incubation. The extracts also reduced the cell viability of the K562 erythroleukemia tumour line, with a predominance of necrotic death. Thus, it is concluded that the propolis produced by P. droryana and A. mellifera contain important compounds capable of minimizing the action of oxidizing substances in the organism and reducing the viability of erythroleukemia cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / toxicity
  • Brazil
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chemical Fractionation
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism
  • Free Radicals / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Hemolysis / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hymenoptera / chemistry*
  • K562 Cells
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Propolis / chemistry
  • Propolis / pharmacology*
  • Propolis / toxicity

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Free Radicals
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Propolis
  • Caspase 3

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from Foundation to Support to Development of Education, Science and Technology of Mato Grosso do Sul State – FUNDECT and Brazilian National Research Council – CNPq, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa do Pantanal - INPP, and Fundação de Amparo e Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa – Fadesp. Thaliny Bonamigo was supported by FUNDECT and CAPES. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.