• Grant number: 11/50651-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Severino Matias de Alencar
• Grantee: Severino Matias de Alencar
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is a great producer and exporter of propolis from Apis mellifera. Propolis is a resinous substance collected by bees from various parts of plants such as buds, floral buttons and resinous exudates which presents in their chemical composition, different phenolic compounds such as aldehydes, organic acids and phenolic compounds (flavonoids and derivatives of cinnamic and benzoic acids). Propolis has been outstanding in the field of research principally for their various biological activities such as antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, anticariogenic, anticancer and especially antioxidant activity. However, studies about biological properties of propolis have always been focused on Brazilian propolis from southeast, with little understanding of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of propolis from other regions from Brazil, such as propolis organic, for example. Organic propolis produced in preservation áreas of Paraná state and northern Santa Catarina state has not yet been studied in relation to their chemical composition and antioxidant activity, but has attracted an interest in increasing demanding European market, particularly for evidence of its antioxidant activity, mild flavor and lack of heavy metals and pesticide residues. Thus arises the need for a detailed study on the chemical composition and antioxidant potential. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition by chromatography and mass spectrometry and antioxidant activity in vitro by various methodologies of this new type of Brazilian propolis. The identification of new natural compounds of recognized antioxidant may provide knowledge of new active ingredients for use in food and pharmaceutical industries, deposit of Brazilian patents with propolis, as well as increasing the market value of this product. (AU)