Despite the dissimilar polyphenol compositions of CP and BP, their ability to protect against DSS-induced colitis is similar. Nevertheless, some different physiological impacts were observed.

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Honey produced from medicinal plants hold great promise for human gut health.

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Propolis is an important hive product and considered beneficial to health. However, evidence of its potential for improving gut health is still lacking. Here we use rats to examine whether dietary supplementation with propolis could be used as a therapy for ulcerative colitis. Rats were fed with a Western style diet alone (controls) or supplemented with different amounts of Chinese propolis (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) to examine effects on acute colitis induced by 3% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) in drinking water. Propolis at 0.3%, but not lower levels, significantly improved colitis symptoms compared with the control group, with a less pronounced disease activity index (DAI) (p < 0.001), a significant increase in colon length/weight ratio (p < 0.05) and an improved distal colon tissue structure as assessed by histology. Although short chain fatty acid levels in digesta were not altered by propolis supplementation, 16S rRNA phylogenetic sequencing revealed a significant increase in gut microbial diversity after 21 days of 0.3% propolis supplementation compared with controls including a significant increase in bacteria belonging to the Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria phyla. This is the first study to demonstrate that propolis can attenuate DSS-induced colitis and provides new insight into diet-microbiota interactions during inflammatory bowel disease.

Bee pollen (BP) is collected by honeybees from flower pollen mixed with nectar and its secretions with extensive nutritional and therapeutic properties. Lipids are known to be critical contributors for the therapeutic effects of BP and vary depending on different plant sources; however, lipid profiles of BP are not available. Here, an UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS method was established for comprehensive lipidomics analysis of BP derived from three major nectar plants (Brassica campestris L., Camellia sinensis L., and Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.). A total of nine lipid classes, including phosphatidylcholine (41 species), phosphatidylethanolamine (43 species), phosphatidylglycerol (9 species), phosphatidylserine (10 species), lysophosphatidylcholine (12 species), ceramide (8 species), diglyceride (27 species), triglyceride (137 species), and fatty acids (47 species), were first identified and quantified in the three BPs. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity was also discovered in the lipid extracts of three BPs, which has potential relevance to the abundance of phospholipids and unsaturated fatty acids in BP. Our comprehensive lipidomics profiling and in vitro anti-inflammatory properties of BP provide evidence for its future application.

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