THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF PROPOLIS PRODUCED BY Apis mellifera L. AND BRAZILIAN STINGLESS BEES

A. FERNANDES Jr.(1), L. LEOMIL(1), A. A. H. FERNANDES(2), J. M. SFORCIN(1)

(1)Department of Microbiology and Immunology; (2)Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, UNESP, State of São Paulo, Brazil.

This study investigated the antibacterial activity of propolis produced by A. mellifera and Brazilian stingless bees, called "meliponíneos". Susceptibility tests to ethanolic extracts of propolis (EEP) were performed using bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus sp, and Escherichia coli) isolated from human infections. Dilution of EEP in agar (%v/v) was used for determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The stingless bee species (and common names) were: Nannotrigona testaceicornis ("Iraí"), Tetragonisca angustula ("Jataí"), Trigona spinipes ("Arapuá"), Scaptotrigona sp ("Tiúba"), Partamona sp ("Cupira"), Melipona scutellaris ("Uruçu"), Melipona sp ("Manduri"), and Melipona mandaçaia ("Mandaçaia"). EEP inhibitory efficiencies according to bacterial strains were: S. aureus - "Cupira" > "Manduri" = A. mellifera > "Uruçu" > "Mandaçaia" > "Iraí" > "Tiúba" > "Jataí" > "Arapuá" = Ethanol; Enterococcus sp - "Cupira" > "Manduri" > A. mellifera > "Mandaçaia" > "Uruçu" > "Tiúba" > "Jataí" > "Arapuá" = Ethanol; E. coli - "Manduri" > "Jataí" > Ethanol > A. mellifera > "Uruçu" > "Cupira" > "Iraí". Propolis produced by "Cupira" and "Manduri" bees showed higher antibacterial activity than A. mellifera.

KEY WORDS: Ethanolic extract of propolis, Apis mellifera, Brazilian stingless bees, S. aureus, E. coli, Enterococcus sp.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

A. FERNANDES JR. - Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu, UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Júnior s/n, CEP 18618-000, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil. Email ary@ibb.unesp.br