Brazilian Green Propolis as a Therapeutic Agent for the Post-surgical Treatment of Caseous Lymphadenitis in Sheep

Abstract

As antibiotics are ineffective when used to treat caseous lymphadenitis, the surgical excision of lesions is often required. Iodine solution (10%) is currently the choice for the post-surgical treatment; however, it may cause histotoxicity. Propolis are resinous substances composed by a mixture of different plants parts and molecules secreted by bees. As green propolis has already proven to possess anti-bacterial and wound healing properties, this study aimed to evaluate the use of a green propolis-based ointment as a therapeutic agent for the post-surgical treatment of caseous lymphadenitis. The caseous lesions of 28 sheep were surgically excised before dividing animals into two groups: (1) iodine-treated animals and (2) sheep treated with an ointment made with a previously characterized green propolis extract. Clinical data of animals, size of the scar area, the presence of moisture and secretion in the surgical wound, the humoral immune response against the bacterium and the susceptibility of C. pseudotuberculosis clinical isolates to the green propolis extract were analyzed. The green propolis-treated group presented complete healing of the surgical wound 1 week before the iodine-treated group. Additionally, animals treated with the green propolis ointment had fewer cases of wound secretion, but it was not statistically different from the iodine-treated group. No clinical signs indicating green propolis toxicity or other side effects were found, associated with a faster and more organized hair recovery by propolis use. The green propolis extract was able to inhibit the growth of 23 from the 27 C. pseudotuberculosis clinical isolates, with minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericide concentrations ranging from 01 to 08 mg/mL, and did not interfere with the humoral immune response against the bacterium. In addition, green propolis was able to inhibit biofilm formation by four of the C. pseudotuberculosis clinical isolates. We concluded that green propolis is a promising therapeutic agent to be used in the post-surgical treatment of caseous lymphadenitis in small ruminants due to its effects on surgical wound healing, hair recovery, inhibition of wound contamination and bacterial growth.

Uncovering Biological Application of Brazilian Green Propolis: A Phenotypic Screening against Schistosoma mansoni

“…The obtained concentrations of artepillin C (1), caffeic acid (2), coumaric acid (3) and drupanin (4) were 115.87 μg mL À 1 , 35.10 μg mL À 1 , 19.89 μg mL À 1 and 42.36 μg mL À 1 , respectively, which corresponded to 14.67 %, 4.29 %, 2.50 % and 5.29 % confirming the previously reported high contents of these compounds in Brazilian green propolis. [29] The RSD values for artepillin C (1), caffeic acid (2), coumaric acid (3) and drupanin (4) concentrations were below 5 % and the means obtained in different days did not differ statistically (p < 0.05). .…”

Red Propolis and Its Dyslipidemic Regulator Formononetin: Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Gastroprotective Effects in Rat Model of Gastric Ulcer

“…Numerous studies have demonstrated enhanced immune responses in the presence of propolis [ 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 ]. Moreover, the isoflavonoid biochanin A inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of microglia, and production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, NO, and SOD in mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures and microglia-enriched cultures [ 79 ].…”

Susceptibility of Malassezia pachydermatis Clinical Isolates to Allopathic Antifungals and Brazilian Red, Green, and Brown Propolis Extracts

“…Mohammadzadeh et al (73) reported that mice that were orally administered with hydroalcoholic extracts of Iranian propolis with concentrations of 4,500-20,000 mg/Kg did not have any clinical or behavioral toxicological changes. Our recent studies have shown that a green propolis-based ointment used for treating surgical wounds in sheep and containing 20% (w/w) of green propolis extract did not induce any toxic effects (74).…”