The name propolis comes from the Greeks and means Pro, meaning before, and Polis, meaning City. Propolis is translated as defences before the City or Defender of the City. The city is the city of the bees or hive of the bees being protected from the invasion from the outsiders, including the infection. Bees produce propolis and use it to protect themselves and to create a most sterile environment. As well as providing a functional role in sealing and reinforcing the hive, propolis also performs the role of immune system for the hive and acts as antibiotic, anit-viral and anti-fungal system. This sticky, brown resinous substance is collected by honeybees from various plants . As well as sterilizing their home against infection, bees also use Propolis as a multi-purpose cement and varnish. It is believed to be rich in amino acids and also has a high contents of vitamins, including bioflavanoids.

Nature's penicillin.

The Greek physician, Hippocrates, prescribed the use of propolis to help heal internal and external sores and ulcers. Ancient Egyptians depicted propolis-making bees on vases and other ornaments, and used the resinous substance to alleviate many ailments. Pliny, the Roman scholar, wrote much on the use of resins such as propolis in his massive book, Natural History. He touts the abilities of propolis to reduce swelling, soothe pain, and heal sores, to name a few. Often called "nature's penicillin," bee propolis has effective antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, antifungal, and antibiotic-properties. These protective and healing properties have been conclusively demonstrated in numerous studies all over the globe.

Mitosis

Medical researchers N. Popovici and N. Oita of Rumania published a report on the effects bee propolis has on mitosis (the process of cell division). They reported that a tissue never becomes entirely malignant; it always contains some normal cells, but the activity of the normal cells is affected and even repressed by malignant cells. Bee propolis favors the activity of normal cells by repressing malignant cells, which helps the tissue to reestablish its normal condition. Constituents of propolis have a mitodepressive effect (depression of the proliferation of cancerous cells) on cells deranged by malignancy.

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