Benefits of propolis

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The name “propolis” consists of two Greek words: pro – “front” and polis  – “city, fortress”, ie, all together – “the protection of the fortress”, where the strength  means almost one hundred thousandth of the family of one hive. Thus, even in ancient times balsamic, mummified properties of the bee glue were known.

By the way, most of the famous mummy – is propolis of wild mountain bees. This mummy has the same medicinal benefits as the domestic bee propolis, but mummy has more effective action. This pattern is commonly found in nature: wild strawberry is more useful and effective than garden, wild herbs (eg, ginseng, and many others) are more useful than those grown in culture.

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Propolis in the life of bees

Thanks bee propolis is rarely affected by bacteria and viruses, in contrast to other insects.

Currently we know 6 natural antibiotics that bees produce: honey, beeswax, royal jelly, ambrosia, bee venom, propolis. Without such protection bee family under heavy congestion after contracting infectious microorganisms would quickly perish. In the hive bees close up the gaps with propolis, lacquer interior walls and the surface of the hive frames, cover inside the cell before laying bee eggs by a queen. Bees  envelop large dead animals with propolis, which they can not get out of the hive, such as killed mice and other pests. This protects them from rotting, molding.

The origin of propolis has not been fully established.

Some researchers believe that propolis has pollen origin, others – that the bees collect it from poplar, birch, alder, cherry, aspen and other plants. Some believe that propolis has an internal origin (regurgitation of modified by enzymes of bee tar substances and pollen of plants). Propolis is like a beeswax, but it is darker (sometimes greenish-yellow, dark-brown or black).

Composition of propolis

Composition of propolis – is 50-60% fragrant resin consisting of a variety of different substances, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, balms (6%), consisting of cinnamic acid and cinnamic alcohol. Besides, propolis contains enzymes, ferulic and benzoic acid, antibiotics, essential oil (5 to 15%), fatty oils, and vitamins A, B1, B2, E, C, PP, aldehydes, flavones, flavonols, and 30% wax, up to 5% of pollen and many trace elements (aluminum, vanadium, iron, calcium, silicon, manganese, strontium).

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Properties of propolis

Since ancient times, propolis is used by man as a natural product with diverse healing properties.

Propolis, free of impurities (pieces of pure wax, small wood chips, residues and dead bees, etc.), and its preparations for its valuable chemical and biological composition have a wide range of medicinal properties. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-viral, anti-cancer, antibiotic, antifungal, antiseptic healing properties. Propolis has a detrimental effect on gram-positive bacteria, especially the tubercle bacillus, which is especially important for people with tuberculosis which is not curable with antibiotics pharmacy. Additionally propolis has strong analgesic properties (such as in cocaine, and more), stimulates regeneration (recovery) processes, limits the development of scars and accelerates wound healing, inflammations, burns, improves blood and lymph circulation, dramatically reduces the permeability of the burn wound surface. Propolis is non-toxic, even after long-term use does not inhibit the useful microflora of the digestive tract, does not lead to dysbiosis and the reducing of natural immunity. On the contrary, propolis increases the body’s defenses. At the same time, propolis inhibits the development of pathogenic bacteria that infect man, including candidiasis, so propolis acts selectively on the microorganisms and in favor of the human body.

Propolis increases the activity of antibiotics such as penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, neomycin, etc. Propolis expressed inhibits and prevents the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels, improves blood circulation, reduces inflammation in endarteritis, atherosclerosis, and strengthens the immune system and the body’s resistance to infections and other adverse factors environment.

Treatment with propolis

Propolis is increasingly used for the treatment of various diseases. There are many cases of successful use of propolis in a number of diseases whose treatment by other means was ineffective. Pronounced therapeutic effect is observed with propolis applied topically to the inflammatory diseases of the ear, nose, throat and mucous membranes of the mouth, skin diseases, treatment of burns and difficult wounds. Propolis is also effective in the treatment of chronic diseases of the prostate. It is known also about the successful use of it for cervical erosion.

Propolis treatment of children

In the children’s clinic propolis as an aerosol has been used successfully for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract catarrh, pharyngitis, tracheitis, pneumonia and chronic asthma in children (inhalation use of propolis as an emulsion in oil rose, apricot oil, or in a dilution of 1:3, 1 : 2 and 1:1 – 20 sessions, lasting 1-3-5 min).

Propolis for the treatment of skin diseases

50% ointment with propolis with some vegetable oil provides effect in the treatment of some diseases of the skin – dermatitis (trichophytosis, hyperkeratosis, lupus). In this case, you put thick ointment with propolis, cover it with wax paper for 1-3 days. Course of treatment – 1-2 months, this treatment is a painless wound healing, cosmetic scarring.

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Propolis to treat hair loss

For the treatment of placing and total hair loss 30% propolis tincture with  96 percent alcohol is applied  as daily rubbing of the skin.

Propolis for the treatment of psoriasis

The daily use of 0.5-2 g of pure propolis inside after meals 2-3 times a day for 2-3 months significantly alleviates the condition or lead to full recovery. In parallel you impose swabs soaked with 10% propolis ointment with lanolin or vegetable oil to the affected areas . It is useful to use daily at night 50-100 g of honey mixed with bee bread for the good general state of the organism .

Propolis to heal wounds

Propolis has been successfully used for the treatment of difficult, festering wounds, chronic neurodermatitis, acute, chronic and microbial eczema, skin fungal diseases, radiation skin lesions by putting gauze dressings impregnated with 10-30% propolis ointment on vegetable oil. This decreases or completely stops the itching and pain, then comes the recovery.

Propolis for the treatment of otitis media

When inflammation of the middle ear, good results are obtained after injection into the ear canal of gauze pads, impregnated with 30% propolis tincture and 70 percent alcohol, infused for 2-3 days. Tampons are changed daily, the course of treatment is 10-15 days. When purulent inflammation of the middle ear gauze pads, soaked in 20% propolis tincture to 96 with alcohol, infused 7-10 days  is administered into the ear canal. Tampons are also changed every day, the time of treatment longer, 20-25 days.

Propolis to treat inflammation of the vagina

When inflammation of the vagina and cervix, caused by pathogens (trichomoniasis, staphylococcus, streptococcus, etc.), you can use douching or tampons soaked in 3% weekly propolis tincture with 96  percent alcohol. Douching or grouting should be done daily, preferably overnight, for 7-10 days. The effect of treatment is higher than the use of traditional medicines. Only 1% of patients have allergic phenomena which ceased after the abolition of propolis.

Difficult wounds after gynecological operations heal better and faster after daily wetting of wounds with 15% propolis tincture with 96 percent alcohol.

When mastitis it is good to lubricate cracking skin several times a day with 10% propolis ointment with butter or vegetable oil.

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Propolis for the treatment of angina

Chronic pharyngitis, rhinitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, sore throat are successfully treated with 20-30% propolis tincture with 96 percent alcohol, diluted 1:1 with water, sweetened with honey. In milder forms of inflammation of the pharynx daily smearing of the sinuses and mouth of the infusion is enough. In severe forms you ingest the solution 1 tbsp 3 times a day before meals. For children, the dose should be reduced according to age (40 drops to 1 teaspoon or dessert spoon). If children or infants can not tolerate spirits, it is better to use propolis water decoctions of the same concentration. About the preparation of aqueous extracts of propolis have already mentioned above, and they can be applied in large doses that are selected individually depending on the age, the extent and nature of the disease. In milder forms of inflammation of the respiratory system you can take 2-3 tbsp 3 times a day before meals, it is useful to rinse the oropharynx with the same infusion. In severe forms of bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, as well as inflammation of the kidneys you take 100-200 ml of 30% aqueous propolis decoction, and you can improve the taste by mixing it with one spoon of honey.The course of treatment depends on the extent and nature of the disease: 5 to 60 days.

Propolis for the treatment of stomatitis

When gingivitis, stomatitis, candidiasis, the initial stages of periodontal disease, when antibiotics are not effective  or contraindicated, good results are observed from concentrated propolis treatment: mix 80 ml of 70 percent alcohol and 50 g peeled and crushed propolis and stir well daily and store for 7-10 days, then two days settle and filter through cotton. Wounds are cleaned with hydrogen peroxide and are dried in a stream of warm air, then apply a few drops of the tincture with a pipette and again dry to form a thin film of propolis, which lasts for days. 5-8 times give a significant improvement or complete recovery.

With candidiasis  you dissolve nystatin in the same tincture. It is possible to add 2 g of fish oil, 5 g  of honey and 50 g of royal  jelly in this amount of infusion (80 ml), the results of treatment will be more effective.

Propolis for the treatment of venous ulcers

When non-healing venous ulcers of the lower extremities you can use propolis aerosols. Smear ulcers once a day or make gauze dressings, impregnated with this spray. Propolis aerosol is prepared as follows: 5% tincture of 96 percent alcohol is stored for three days, filtered and mixed with sea buckthorn, or apricot or peach oil in the ratio of 1:2, boiled for 5 minutes and filtered again. Before use, the mixture is mixed with novocaine at a ratio of 1:2.

Propolis to treat stomach ulcers

For gastric and duodenal ulcers you can use the tincture of propolis on unsalted butter. 10% tincture of propolis on 96 percent alcohol is infused for 3-5 days, mixed with butter in a ratio of 10:1, boiled, filtered hot through cotton wool and take 20-30 drops with water or milk 3 times a day 1 hour before meal. Course of treatment: 20 days. Some patients like if this potion is not made with butter, but the sea-buckthorn oil. Other patients use 1 tsp with the warm milk also 3 times a day 1 hour before meal. Likewise you can treat gastritis, acute and chronic colitis. Many patients prefer to take 20-30% propolis tincture, 60 drops in a cup of milk 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals when a stomach ulcer. We must remember that treatment with propolis increases the acidity of gastric juice.

Propolis for the treatment of sinusitis

When you have purulent antritises and when antibiotics and sulfanilamides have no effect, 10% weekly propolis tincture with 96 percent alcohol helps, which is injected into the maxillary sinus by puncture: 2-5 punctures at intervals of 2-3 days. When intolerance you can dilute this infusion with distilled water. It is only necessary to use a tincture carefully filtered and warmed to body temperature. At home with purulent sinusitis you make nasal dripping of the 20% weekly infusion with 96 percent alcohol, diluted in half with sunflower, sea buckthorn or other vegetable oil, if the tincture acts too annoying, then use 20-30% water decoction of propolis. When a cold you can use 20% propolis tincture with 96 percent alcohol, diluted in half with water. Inject it into the sinuses on a gauze pads, soaking in this tincture, or drip in the nose 20% aqueous extract of propolis, 5 drops at times.

Propolis for the treatment of sciatica

Radiculitis – put pure propolis (100-200 g), cover with wax paper and apply a heating pad at night. Course of treatment: 5-8 nights. You can use instead compresses with 20% propolis tincture with 96 percent alcohol at night.

Propolis for treating boil

On boils, carbuncles, inflamed purulent sores you put cakes of pure propolis, sticking by a plaster. Keep propolis until it softens and releases pus.

Propolis for prostate

When inflammation of the prostate you use inside 20% propolis tincture and suppositories – sticks of propolis extract and cocoa butter. Propolis extract is prepared as follows: 40 g of crushed propolis mix with 200 ml of 96 percent alcohol, store 10 days with daily shaking, then the alcohol is evaporated by boiling. Pour 2 g cocoa in the resulting mass and stir thoroughly. From this mass you make sticks, which are injected into the rectum at night. Course of treatment: 3 to 30 days. Such treatment is observed removal of inflammation, the disappearance of pain and a significant improvement of the patient.

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Benefits of propolis

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