**3. Chemical composition of** *Apis mellifera* **essential oil**

*Apis mellifera* bees produce propolis by chewing resins collected from trees by adding salivary enzymes to them. The wax produced is used to cover hive failures, besides having antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, and antiviral activities, thus helping to protect the bees themselves.

Due to these properties, the extraction of propolis essential oil has gained prominence in the research field, being reported the presence of compounds such as terpenoids, alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, and aliphatic ketones in its chemical composition [53, 54]. And due to geographic factors, bee types, and trees, volatile compounds of propolis essential oil have variable chemical composition [55, 56].

The volatile constituents of propolis are responsible for the pleasant aroma and contribute to its biological activity. These constituents may also play an important role as olfactory cues during resin collection by bees.

The chemical composition of propolis essential oil has already been studied, especially in Brazil. In the work of Albuquerque et al. [57], the chemical composition of propolis essential oil produced by *Apis mellifera* bees in Minas Gerais state was determined. Oliveira et al. [8], Kasumoto et al. [58], and Bancova et al. [10] also studied the chemical composition of propolis essential oil obtained in Brazil, in different regions, as can be seen in **Table 1**. The identification of each compound was performed by comparison with mass spectra and retention indices (RI).

In conducting the first study on propolis essential oil, Janas and Bumba [59] identified few constituents, such as benzoic acid, benzylic acid, vanillin, and eugenol. But later studies [60] show that the constituents of propolis essential oil are quite diverse, with variations in their polar constituents such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and phenolic acids, for example.

Frederica Pellati et al. [61] collected nine samples of propolis from *Apis mellifera* in different locations in Italy, extracted their essential oil through hydrodistillation, and identified them by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy and *headspace*. Then, 99 chemical components were identified.


#### **Table 1.**

*Major volatile constituents of propolis in Brazil.*


**129**

*Volatile Compounds, Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of* Apis mellifera *Bee…*

**Table 2** shows some important chemical constituents and their respective

Geographic differences influence the chemical composition of essential oils extracted around the world, and as a result, these differences contribute significantly to the chemical properties and biological activities of all types of propolis. Its collection period also influences its oil composition, as it can be mixed with hive resins and wax. In Venezuela [67], propolis essential oil produced by *Apis mellifera* had three main constituents: D-germacrene (26.5%), β-caryophyllene (10.2%), and β-elemene (8.1%), thus being similar to the chemical constituents of Brazilian propolis [64].

The main chemical compounds isolated from *Apis mellifera* are aliphatic acids and esters, aromatic acids and esters, sugars, alcohols, aldehydes, fatty acids, amino acids, steroids, ketones, chalcones and dihydrochalcones, flavonoids (flavones, flavonols, and flavonones), terpenoids, proteins, vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, as well as various minerals. Although flavonoids are the most studied components, they are not the only responsible for its pharmacological properties. Several other compounds have been related to the medicinal properties of *Apis mellifera* [68, 69]*.*

There are reports attributing to *A. mellifera* the most varied applications in folk and veterinary medicine, which corroborates its great therapeutic potential, especially in relation to anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antineoplastic, antidiabetic,

Amaral et al. [69] evaluated the anti-inflammatory potential of *Apis mellifera* against stomach inflammation induced in healthy adult female Wistar rats infected with *Helicobacter pylori.* This bacterium may cause chronic irritation and increase the risk of developing gastric ulcers. They concluded that the administration of solutions of *Apis mellifera* increases the endogen prostacyclin in rats mucosa, incrementing cytoprotection, and reducing pathogen population. In addition, the high contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids aid in the protection of the mucin producing cells of the stomach, also contributing to its therapeutic potential.

Han et al. [71] evaluated the response of *Apis mellifera* venom (BV) against *acne vulgaris,* in order to prove its antimicrobial potential. *Acne vulgaris* is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the sebaceous follicles. The authors incubated *P. acnes,* clindamycin-resistant *P. acnes*, *Staphylococcus epidermidis*, and *Streptococcus pyogenes*. In their results, BV proved to be bacteriostatic and exhibited low cytotoxicity at 10 μg/ml in human epidermal keratinocytes and monocytes. The authors state that

There are several studies that report the antineoplastic activity of *Apis mellifera*. Lee et al. [71] evaluated the anticancer potential of *Apis mellifera* venom (BV), which showed cytotoxicity in HL-60 cells and normal human lymphocytes. Hamzaoglu et al. [71] implanted cancer cells into mice wounds. A significant decrease in the tumors was observed in mice that were treated with *Apis mellifera*

BV can be an alternative for the treatment of *acne vulgaris*.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92130*

**4. Biological activities of** *Apis mellifera*

and antioxidant activities [70].

**4.1 Anti-inflammatory activity**

**4.2 Antimicrobial activity**

**4.3 Antineoplastic activity**

biological activities.

#### **Table 2.**

*Main compounds and their biological activities in propolis.*

*Volatile Compounds, Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of* Apis mellifera *Bee… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92130*

**Table 2** shows some important chemical constituents and their respective biological activities.

Geographic differences influence the chemical composition of essential oils extracted around the world, and as a result, these differences contribute significantly to the chemical properties and biological activities of all types of propolis. Its collection period also influences its oil composition, as it can be mixed with hive resins and wax.

In Venezuela [67], propolis essential oil produced by *Apis mellifera* had three main constituents: D-germacrene (26.5%), β-caryophyllene (10.2%), and β-elemene (8.1%), thus being similar to the chemical constituents of Brazilian propolis [64].
