Propolis, often called “bee glue,” isn’t the same as beeswax, although I thought it was. Beeswax is secreted by bees, whereas propolis is collected by bees from trees. It’s a mixture of various resins made from plants, flowers, leaf buds and tree barks. Bees carry the propolis on their backs to strengthen and seal cracks in their hives.
Bee glue is a godsend. What bees have to do is collect the same substance that trees use to protect themselves from infection. Certain trees (poplar, willow, birch and horse chestnut) create a special antibiotic sap to guard against invaders. Bees gather these saps, take them back to their hives and coat the hives with it in much the same manner as we use to paint and caulk our home. As well, each time the bees brush up against this brownish substance, they become automatically immunized!
Sterilizing agent
When intruders (rodents such as mice, etc.) get into bee hives, the bees sting them to death, then coat them with propolis, which sterilizes the offender. This is done this way because the bees can’t physically remove the enemies from their home.
One of the many cool things about propolis is that it has been found to stimulate our immune system, as discovered by Professor S. Scheller of the Institute for Microbiology at the Medical Academy of Poland.
Scheller and his four-member research team learned that propolis releases substances that guard against cellular deterioration, and it stimulates antibody production, thereby resisting many diseases.
Additional conclusions derived through experimentation are that sexual and intellectual functions were enhanced, along with speedier tissue healing from injuries and burns while using bee propolis. This is believed to be a result of a substance within the propolis called arginine. Second-degree burns have been successfully treated with bee propolis, as it reduces inflammation and stimulates enzyme systems, cell metabolism, circulation and collagen formation. As well, the study concluded that propolis is non-toxic.
Treating infertility
F. M. Ali, an Egyptian doctor at Ain Shams University, showed that propolis appears to be effective in treating infertility caused by endometriosis. In this small, randomized trial, the doctor found the bee propolis a viable treatment.
The researcher studied 40 female patients for more than two years — they were given 500 mg of propolis twice daily or a placebo. This regimen continued for six months and the study outcome showed that 60 percent became pregnant compared to 20 percent of those taking the sugar pills.
