Resumo:
Different types of propolis are popular in various regions of Brazil, containing complex chemical components, mainly flavonoids and polyphenols, which vary according to geographical location, plant species, and the season in which they are produced. For example, green propolis is produced by Apis mellifera bees that use Baccharis dracunculifolia, a common species found in the Brazilian savannah. This study aims to evaluate Brazilian green propolis, both in nature and commercial, regarding its antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and neuroprotective potential, correlating these aspects with its chemical profile. To achieve this, propolis extracts in nature were used to prepare ethanolic, aqueous, and ethyl acetate extracts. The commercial aqueous and ethanolic extracts were obtained from Favo de Ouro Company, a laboratory partner. Phytochemical screening, a colorimetric and qualitative method, was used to characterize the extracts, assessing the presence of secondary metabolites. The crude extracts of green propolis and the aqueous and ethanolic solutions of commercial green propolis showed similarities in the presence of secondary metabolites. On the other hand, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of green propolis in nature stood out due to the presence of saponins. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by broth dilution. The crude extracts in ethanol and ethyl acetate proved effective against Staphylococcus aureus at concentrations of 125 and 250 μgmL-1, respectively. The commercial aqueous solution was also effective against Escherichia coli. Cytotoxic and neuroprotective evaluation in PC12 cells for 48 hours showed that most extracts were not toxic, except for the commercial ethanolic solution, which exhibited toxicity. Regarding neuroprotective activity, the aqueous and ethyl acetate crude extracts, at concentrations of 11 and 5.5 μgmL-1, respectively, showed promising results. Propolis analysis by GC-MS enabled the identification of a variety of compounds, such as terpenes, phenols, acids, aldehydes, and fatty acids, depending on the specific composition of the sample. This technique is essential for a detailed characterization of the chemical constituents present in propolis, providing valuable insights into its chemical composition.
