RESUMO Diversas propriedades medicinais como antibacteriana, antifúngica, cicatrizante e antioxidante são popularmente relatadas ao mel. Poucos estudos têm sido realizados sobre atividade antimicrobiana (AA) do mel de abelhas sociais da subfamília Meliponinae. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a AA do mel de Nannotrigona testaceicornis, uma espécie de abelha indígena sem ferrão. Para a avaliação da AA do mel foi empregado o método da difusão em ágar, utilizando-se discos de 6 mm de diâmetro em presença de 10 diferentes microrganismos, obtidos de focos de infecções clínicas. Os testes indicaram resistência em: Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus ? -hemolítico; e indicaram sensibilidade em: Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, bem como Staphylococcus spp. coagulase. Vinte e três antibióticos comerciais distintos foram também avaliados no presente estudo. Os resultados obtidos até o momento apontam para um excelente potencial terapêutico deste produto apícola.

ABSTRACT Several medicinal properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, healing and antioxidant activities, are popularly reported for honey. Few studies have been done on the antimicrobial activity (AA) of honey produced by social bees from the sub-family Meliponinae. The objective of this study was to investigate the AA of honey produced by Nannotrigona testaceicornis, a native stingless bee. For the honey AA evaluation, the agar diffusion method was assayed against 10 different microorganisms isolated from inoculi obtained from clinically infected sites. Tests indicated resistance in Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, ? hemolytic Streptococcus. Susceptibility was observed in Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes as well as in negativecoagulase Staphylococcus spp. Twenty-three distinct commercial antibiotics were also assayed in the present study. Results obtained up to this date indicate an excellent therapeutical potential for this natural product.

RESUMO Própolis de Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae) é um produto da colméia, elaborado a partir de exsudatos de resinas que as abelhas recolhem de determinadas plantas. A composição química da própolis é complexa e relacionada à diversidade vegetal encontrada em torno da colméia. Embora a própolis seja utilizada em medicina popular por milhares de anos, a falta de padrões que avaliem de maneira precisa suas atividades farmacológicas, dificulta a estandardização de produtos comerciais que garanta sua eficácia e segurança terapêutica para humanos e outros animais. Nesta revisão estão sumarizados alguns desenvolvimentos recentes da pesquisa farmacológica da própolis, enfocando-se as atividades antiinflamatórias, antimicrobianas, antineoplásica e antioxidante.

ABSTRACT Propolis from Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae) is a hive product elaborated from resinous exudates that honeybees gather from certain trees and plants. The chemical composition of propolis is complex and related to vegetal diversity found around the hive. Although propolis has widely been used in folk medicine for thousands of years, a lack of accurate patterns defining their pharmacological activities raises difficulties for the standardization of commercial products that would guarantee its therapeutic safety and efficacy for human beings and other animals. This review summarizes some of the newest developments in propolis pharmacological research.

RESUMO Este estudo avaliou as atividades antimicrobianas (AA) de extratos hidro-alcoólicos, obtidos de 17 espécies de árvores nativas do Brasil. Para os ensaios de antibiose foi utilizado o método da difusão em ágar, frente a 10 diferentes microrganismos, isolados de inóculos obtidos de focos de infecções clínicas. Dos 170 testes realizados, 25% mostraram alta AA, destacando-se extratos de Bixaorellana, Psidiumguajava e Anacardium occidentale. Excepcional AA foi observada em Mimosa tenuiflora contra Streptococcus pyogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus e Staphylococcus spp. coagulase-negativa, e os extratos de Stryphnodendron adstringens e Eugenia uniflora contra Escherichia coli, Providencia spp., Streptococcus pyogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus e Staphylococcus spp. coagulase-negativa. Ensaios de antibiose com antibióticos comerciais foram realizados contra estas bactérias, com a finalidade de se comparar o potencial de AA de extratos destas árvores.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the antimicrobial activities (AA) of hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from 17 species of native Brazilian trees. The agar diffusion method was used against 10 different microorganisms isolated from inoculi obtained from clinically infected spots, for antibiosis assay purposes. Of the 170 tested carried out, 25% exhibited high AA, with Bixa orellana, Psidium guajava and Anacardium occidentale showing the most outstanding extract qualities. Exceptional AA was observed for Mimosa tenuiflora against Streptococcus pyogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. and Stryphnodendron adstringens, and for Eugenia uniflora extracts against Escherichia coli, Providencia spp., Streptococcus pyogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. Antibiosis essays with commercially available antibiotics were simultaneously conducted against the above-mentioned bacteria to compare with the AA potential of the trees extracts studied.

Since primeval times, the inflammatory process has been described in many different ways. Several anti-inflammatory therapies have been used in different biological models. However, in a recent "back to nature move", modern man is searching for natural products with medicinal properties, particularly those obtained from plants and bees. Propolis has been used in folk medicine for a very long time. The many compounds present in propolis require investigation.Physical-chemical analysis studies have not sufficiently established quality standards of propolis containing products. These standards should depend especially on their different pharmacological activities. There are few studies reporting on the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of propolis containing products. It is necessary to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of commercial products containing propolis.