Received: February 12, 2004, Accepted: October 22, 2004, Published online: March 3, 2005.

SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILE OF Salmonella AGAINST THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF PROPOLIS PRODUCED IN TWO REGIONS OF BRAZIL

ORSI R. O. (1), SFORCIN J. M. (2), RALL V. L. M. (2), FUNARI S. R. C. (1), BARBOSA L. (3), FERNANDES JR A. (2)

(1) Department of Production and Animal Exploration, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil; (2) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Biosciences Institute, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil; (3) Department of Biostatistics, Biosciences Institute, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Propolis antibiotic action has been widely investigated. This assay was carried out in order to observe the in vitro antibacterial activity of propolis against Salmonella enteritidis isolated from food and Salmonella typhimurium isolated from human infections. Propolis was collected by Apis mellifera in two regions of Brazil (Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte State; and Urubici, Santa Catarina State). Both strains survival percentage decreased with time of incubation in Ethanolic Extracts of Propolis (EEP), demonstrating bactericidal effect after 24 hours. It was also observed that EEP from Mossoró was more effective than that from Urubici. The control of the propolis solvent - 70% ethanol - was less effective than EEP, showing only a bacteriostatic effect. We can conclude that propolis shows an activity against Gram-negative bacteria that varies according to the geographical region where it was collected by bees.

KEY WORDS: propolis, susceptibility profile, Salmonella, food, infection.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

R. O. ORSI, Departamento de Produção e Exploração Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Junior, S/N, 18618-000, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil. Email: orsi@fca.unesp.br