Propolis has been a popular agent for food supplementary material for human health. It is a natural, sticky resinous, dark yellow to brown coloured bee product and has phenols and many other preventive agents. Propolis usually contains resins (50%), composed of flavonoids and phenolic acids, waxes (up to 30%), essential oils (10%), pollen (5%) and various organic compounds (5%) such as Fe and Zn, vitamins (B1, B2, B3 and B6), benzoic acid, ketones, lactones, steroids and sugars. Propolis chemical composition differs from climate conditions, origin of plant species, time, vegetation of collection areas and type of bee flora. There are many scientific studies published in different international journals about propolis and its chemical composition, biological activity. But there still have been a requirement to discover all chemical components and possible applications of propolis. The aim of this review is to explore general properties and chemical activities of propolis.
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