Microbiological studies on propolis extracts against some animal pathogens

Abstract

Propolis means a gum that is gathered by bees from various plants having antibacterial, antifungal and healing properties. One of the common problems in the medical world, spreading of bacterial resistance against antibiotics, so one of the most important steps in microbiological researches is to find a new antimicrobial compound with minimal side effects. So the aim of this study is to investigate the antimicrobial activity of propolis aqueous and solvent extracts on some medically important bacteria and fungi. Hot and cold aqueous extracts in addition to successive solvent extracts (acetone, ethanol and chloroform extracts of propolis) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans by agar well diffusion method. The chloroform extract showed significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli followed by acetone then ethanol extract finally the hot aqueous extract. Where the cold aqueous extract showed no significance against Escherichia coli. The most effective extract showed high significant antifungal activity was the cold aqueous extract against Candida albicans then the hot aqueous extract, finally ethanol extract. While the acetone and chloroform extracts did not show any significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Also the hot aqueous extract showed high significant antibacterial activity against staphylococcus aureus then ethanol extract. While the other extracts did not show any significant antibacterial activity against it. So it could be concluded that the propolis extract exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activity against microbial pathogens and can be introduced as an alternative to chemical antimicrobial drugs, but required wider investigation.