Brazilian green propolis improves gut microbiota dysbiosis and protects against sarcopenic obesity.

INTRODUCTION: Brazilian green propolis is an important honeybee product that is considered beneficial for health. Here, we examined the therapeutic potential of dietary supplementation with propolis against sarcopenic obesity using Db/Db mice. METHODS: Db/m mice fed a normal diet alone and Db/Db mice fed normal diet alone, or supplemented with different amounts of propolis (0.08, 0.4 and 2%), were examined for effects on sarcopenic obesity. RESULTS: Propolis improved the glucose tolerance (P < 0.001), increased the grip strength (P < 0.001) and the weight of soleus (P = 0.006) and plantaris muscles (P = 0.008). Moreover, propolis improved the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (P < 0.001) and decreased the expression of genes related to inflammation, liver fibrosis and fatty acid metabolism. Propolis decreased the accumulation of saturated fatty acids in the liver and increased their excretion in faeces. With regard to the innate immunity, propolis decreased the ratio of M1 macrophages (P = 0.008) and Type 1 and 3 innate lymphoid cells to CD45-positive cells (P < 0.001) and increased the ratio of M2 macrophages (P = 0.002) and ILC2s (P = 0.007) in the liver. Additionally, propolis decreased the expression of genes related to muscle atrophy and inflammation and the concentration of saturated fatty acids in the soleus muscle. 16S rRNA phylogenetic sequencing revealed that propolis increased the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio, and the abundance of Butyricicoccus and Acetivibrio genera. Gut microbiota related to the pentose phosphatase pathway and glycerolipid metabolism was more prevalent after the administration of propolis. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate that propolis can improve sarcopenic obesity by improving dysbiosis due to overeating and provides new insights into diet-microbiota interactions during sarcopenic obesity.

Effect of Brazilian green propolis in patients with type 2 diabetes: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study.

Propolis contains a variety of chemical compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic aldehydes, amino acids and vitamins, and presents numerous biological and pharmacological properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of propolis on blood examination data in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the double-blind, 8-week randomized controlled study, 80 patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to receive Brazilian green propolis (226.8 mg/day for 8 weeks) (n=41) or the placebo (n=39). The primary endpoint was to detect changes in blood examination data associated with metabolic disorders in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus, including the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), uric acid and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline to the end of this study. The value of HOMA-IR was not significantly changed by the 8-week administration of propolis or placebo from the baseline data. Values of blood uric acid and eGFR in patients taking the placebo became worse at 8 weeks compared to the baseline, whereas this did not occur in patients consuming Brazilian green propolis. However, HOMA-IR was not improved by propolis intake. A randomized, controlled 8-week trial suggests that Brazilian green propolis (226.8 mg/day) prevents patients with type 2 diabetes from developing worse blood uric acid and eGFR.