Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Propolis on Humoral Immunity in Laboratory Animals

Background: Propolis is a material that collected by bees from different plants and unites with beeswax and enzymes of salivary glands of fly.

Aim: The study was designed to assess humoral immunity activity of propolis against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA bacteria.

Materials and Methods: Sixteen male white New Zealand rabbits included in this study, that divided into two groups (8 rabbits at each one), group I received orally Ethanolic Extract Propolis (EEP) at 20% concentration per day for lasting twenty days, while group II have received dimethyl sulfoxide as control group. All animals injected in intraperitoneal (IP) with six doses of 108cfu/ milliliter of killed somatic antigen of MRSA bacteria after ten days from last dose of administration of EEP. Blood samples were taken by heart puncture from all animals to estimate the level of immunological parameters immunoglobulin M and G (IgM&IgG) by single radial immune diffusion (SRID) technique.

Results: Results revealed to increase significantly (p < 0.05) the mean value of IgM and IgG in group I as compared with group II.

Conclusion: It was pointed propolis induce humoral immunity against bacterial MRSA antigen in vivo.