Propolis is nature’s all in one anti-microbial. Not only will it independently suppress harmful bacteria and viruses, but it will also help stimulate and regulate the skin’s metabolism and immune systems. This multiplies the effectiveness of the nutrients included in our skin creams while encouraging the body’s own immune system to keep skin healthy and beautiful.
The process of creating propolis starts when a bee harvests the resin and sap of a tree, the substances that trees use to seal their wounds to prevent infection and fungi. Bees will naturally seek out the most biologically active resins available since the safety of their hive depends on these natural germicidal properties. The innate potency is amplified as it is alchemized and condensed by the bee before it is used to line and seal the hive.
Propolis is among the most complex substances on Earth, containing hundreds of chemical compounds from trees and bee secretions. Science does not know why it is as biologically active as it is, nor can it fully explain why propolis is an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidant.
A recent study at the University of Texas showed that bee propolis was as equally effective in speeding the healing process of burns as a leading conventional treatment, silver sulfadiazine. However, unlike the silver sulfadiazine, propolis also significantly reduces inflammation and scarring. The National Institute of Health also acknowledges the anti-inflammatory properties of propolis.
Recent scientific work has also highlighted the antiviral property of propolis. A research study published in 2000 found that a propolis ointment was more effective at treating genital herpes than a conventional antiviral. In 2005, a similar study done by the University of Heidelberg found that propolis reduced the infectivity of the herpes virus in lab cultures by 99%.