Monday, November 26, 2007

Propolis May Help Reduce Chromosome Damage

Effects of Propolis Crude Hydroalcoholic Extract on Chromosomal Aberrations Induced by Doxorubicin in Rats
Planta Medica, 2007 Nov 12

Propolis has been reported to display a broad spectrum of biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and antifungal properties, among others.

There is great interest not only in the determination of the chemical composition of propolis but also in the understanding of the mechanisms related to its therapeutic actions.

In this respect, the aim of the present investigation was to study the influence of both simultaneous (6, 12 and 24 mg/kg b. w.) and subacute (12 mg/kg b. w.) treatment with a crude hydroalcoholic extract of propolis on the frequency of chromosome aberrations induced by the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DXR) in Wistar rat bone marrow cells…

The results showed that the dose of 12 mg propolis/kg b. w., administered either as a single dose or as subacute treatment, caused a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of chromosome damage induced by DXR compared to the group treated only with DXR. This reduction might be, in part, due to the presence of phenolic compounds in the studied propolis, which are able to capture free radicals produced by chemotherapeutic agents such as DXR.

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