Various Aspects of Antimicrobial Properties of Populus Propolis

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Propolis is a bee product which is composed of plant resins and bee glue. In temperate climatic zones, the main sources of resins are buds of different species of the Populus genus. Propolis is known to have multiple medicinal properties, especially antimicrobial (including antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains), anti-inflammatory, and wound treatment properties. Due to growing antibiotic resistance, new antibacterial agents and therapies solutions are still needed. For this reason, this article summarizes the results of research related to the antibacterial activity of Populus genus propolis. We discuss the main types of Populus genus propolis (aspen, aspen–poplar and poplar), propolis’s general effect against different bacterial strains, the classes of antibacterial agents, the mechanism of antibacterial action of propolis, and interactions of propolis with antibiotics. Our analysis of the literature reveals that Populus propolis is a valuable antibacterial agent. However, its activity varies due to the instability of its composition. Therefore, before it can be designated for medicinal use biological and phytochemical standardization is required. Clinical data reveal the efficiency of propolis preparations in mild external infectious diseases in oral cavity and wound treatment. These data are limited only to poplar propolis. Similar efficiency may be possible using aspen and aspen–poplar propolis, but there is no direct clinical data to support this assertion. Combined therapy using propolis with antibiotics remained controversial due to the lack of sufficient clinical data and unclear data from in vitro research. Administering Populus propolis preparations to treat internal bacterial diseases requires further clinical research and should not be a standard therapy at this moment.