Biological Activities of Propolis and Essential Oil Combinations

III. International Apitherapy and Nature Congress, Baku, Azerbaycan, 21 - 23 Kasım 2025, ss.1, (Özet Bildiri)

Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
Basıldığı Şehir: Baku
Basıldığı Ülke: Azerbaycan
Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1
Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study investigated the antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant activities of propolis and various essential oils (lavender, thyme, and tea tree), both individually and in combination. The potential synergistic effects of propolis and essential oils were evaluated, considering their multiple biological effects. Propolis was collected from Ordu Province, Turkiye, and extracted with 70% ethanol. Experimental groups were prepared by mixing the propolis extract with essential oils (lavender, thyme, and tea tree) at a 1:10 ratio. Antimicrobial activity was investigated using well diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods on ATCC strains including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Candida albicans. Antiviral activity was assessed using HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibition and a colorimetric ELISA kit. In addition, the antioxidant capacities of propolis and oil combinations were analyzed by spectrophotometric methods. According to the results, the highest antimicrobial effect was observed in thyme oil and its combinations. Thyme oil created a 40 mm inhibition zone on Candida albicans. Propolis addition synergistically enhanced the activity of lavender and tea tree oils. MIC values were found in the range of 4–16 µg/mL. In terms of antiviral activity, RT inhibition rates were determined as follows: DMSO (43%), DMSO/propolis (82%), lavender oil (76%), thyme oil (73%), tea tree oil (96%), tea tree oil/propolis (95%), thyme oil/propolis (95%), and lavender oil/propolis (94%). Antioxidant analyses revealed that oil-propolis combinations had higher radical scavenging capacity than either oil or propolis alone, with the thyme-propolis group demonstrating a particularly significant advantage. These results demonstrate that propolis and essential oils, both alone and in combination, possess potent antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties, and that the thyme oil-propolis combination is particularly promising in terms of broad-spectrum biological activity.

Keywords: Propolis, essential oils, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, HIV-1 RT