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eCAM Advance Access originally published online on February 17, 2007
eCAM 2008 5(1):71-75; doi:10.1093/ecam/nel112
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© 2007 The Author(s).
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Green Brazilian Propolis Action on Macrophages and Lymphoid Organs of Chronically Stressed Mice

Fabiane Missima and José Maurício Sforcin

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Biosciences Institute, UNESP, 18618-000 Botucatu, S.P., Brazil

Stress is a generic term that summarizes how psychosocial and environmental factors influence physical and mental well-being. The interaction between stress and immunity has been widely investigated, involving the neuroendocrine system and several organs. Assays using natural products in stress models deserve further investigation. Propolis immunomodulatory action has been mentioned and it has been the subject of scientific investigation in our laboratory. The aim of this study was to evaluate if and how propolis activated macrophages in BALB/c mice submitted to immobilization stress, as well as the histopathological analysis of the thymus, bone marrow, spleen and adrenal glands. Stressed mice showed a higher hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation by peritoneal macrophages, and propolis treatment potentiated H2O2 generation and inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production by these cells. Histopathological analysis showed no alterations in the thymus, bone marrow and adrenal glands, but increased germinal centers in the spleen. Propolis treatment counteracted the alterations found in the spleen of stressed mice. New research is being carried out in order to elucidate propolis immunomodulatory action during stress.

Keywords: lymphoid organs – macrophages – propolis – stress

For reprints and all correspondence: José Maurício Sforcin, Biosciences Institute, UNESP, 18618-000 Botucatu, S.P., Brazil. Tel: +55 14 3811 6058; Fax: +55 14 3815 3744; E-mail: sforcin{at}ibb.unesp.br

Received September 6, 2006; accepted December 4, 2006


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