Propolis - The natural antibiotic bees
Propolis (bee glue or propolis also called) is a rubbery, sticky, resinous, thermoplastic material. Certain worker bees collect resin from buds, leaves and tree bark. Commodity supply mainly poplar, willow, chestnut, fir, spruce and larch. In the hive, the resin is mixed with wax and pollen, and with a special salivary secretions to make it pliable. The honey bees use propolis as a building material for mending - and insulation, and disinfect the entire hive. The bees thus protect their homes against drafts, moisture and microbes. Propolis is even a limited protection against radioactive radiation for the bees.
At the entrance of the hive is a defensive barrier of propolis, which serves as the returning bees simultaneously disinfecting doormat. This function has also given its name to the propolis. The word propolis comes from the Greek and is composed of the word "Pro", German "before" and the word "polis" German "city".The name actually means "(defense) against a city."
Propolis is one of the most effective, natural antibiotics. It has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity. It provides the hive protection against infection. In the summer, live 40,000 to 60,000 bees in a very cramped space. This requires absolute cleanliness. Thus, the cells can be disinfected before each oviposition with a microscopically thin layer of propolis. Todgestochene invaders that are too large to be carried out of the floor, such as mice or snakes are covered with propolis and mummified, so that their corruption poisons not endanger the health of the colony.
Well-known and yet rediscovered
History
The knowledge that man has enough of propolis, not quite as far back as the honey. But we know that already several thousand years before our time, the priests of ancient Egypt knew this stuff and used it in large quantities in the chemical and the art of mummification of their dead.
Even with the Incas, the antibiotic effect of propolis was known.
Propolis was primarily known as germ-inflammatory remedy and has been from the ancient Greeks to Napoleon, to the Russians in the 2nd World War with war wounds as a wound healing agent used.
With us, the healing properties of propolis was largely forgotten. Some beekeepers and some naturopaths knowledge has been preserved luckily. Propolis has for some time back home in many pharmacies a fixed location.
Today propolis undergoes a renaissance. In the era of antibiotics, the second after its triumphant Competed World War, it was believed to have better than propolis.The antibiotic weapons are no longer. We are increasingly confronted with resistant germs. Propolis has lost nothing of its effectiveness, it finally put many millions of years of evolutionary experience. Propolis is a substance that contains a lot of different components that are variable in their concentration (why can not standardize propolis). This explains the fact, however, that there is no resistance to propolis. Propolis has also against viral and fungal infections. This makes propolis interest to research and a whole army of scientists is now trying to discover the secret of its effectiveness.
The extraction of propolis
If beekeepers propolis from the hives break out and scratch, they have to be very careful. In a completely freed from propolis hive the bees were exposed to environmental influences defenseless and could not survive. Thus one has gone over very close-knit grid to use as Propolisfallen. Namely bees fill all the holes that do not exceed a certain size (3.7 mm) with propolis. Larger holes they seal it with wax. Nevertheless, the yield is low, and people per year can benefit from our bees about 100 - 150 g Rohpropolis be won.
Most propolis comes from South America and from Asia to us on the market. There allow other bee species and the climatic conditions the collection of far greater quantities propolis.
In Germany, the free sale of propolis because of the pharmaceutical law is controversial. There is no general scheme it currently is not. Prohibited in some states, the authorities beekeepers principle. Sale and distribution on the grounds that propolis is a medicine and pharmacy only as such In no case should be referred to a specific therapeutic effect. Meanwhile there are many Propolispräparate, which you can order in pharmacies or on the Internet.
The resinous shares the Propolis make quite sticky. Stains on clothing and on the skin can be cleaned with nail polish remover or cleaning agents that are suitable for the removal of synthetic resin paints.
Application of propolis
Dosage: Adults 1 drop per kg body weight, take divided into 3-4 doses per day. If taken on bread or honey is best suited.
Please always start with 2-3 drops, since there can be allergic to propolis.
In the pharmacy or in well-stocked health food stores you can find propolis lozenges, toothpaste, mouthwash, skin creams and capsules for health care.
Propolis can be aerosolized in special devices and is used in this application form for chronic respiratory diseases (asthma, bronchitis, allergies). Some wellness hotels offer inhalations with beehive air directly from the hive.
What characteristics does the propolis?
For the healing properties of propolis, various acids (the best known is acetylsalicylic acid - aspirin) made and the high concentration of flavonoids responsible. This alone may not be the secret of the versatile effect. Rather, it is probably not far from the large number of studied over 270 substances (minerals, vitamins, trace elements) present in propolis in an inimitable combination.
These agents ...
- support the phagocytes (scavenger cells in the human immune system)
- inhibit the pain-producing prostaglandins
- Free radicals fight
- accelerate wound healing
- bind toxic heavy metals
- counteract excessive histamine release (inflammation)
- strengthen blood vessels and cell membranes
- protects the skin and mucous membranes
- have antidepressant effects
- reduce the side effects of chemo-and radiotherapy
- counteract the gums regression and strengthens the teeth
Please note that taking propolis not visit the doctor with health complaints replaced. Propolis can be used to support, among other drugs.
