ABSTRACT
Propolis is a resinous substance produced by honeybees from exudates collected from different parts of the plants. It has been used for centuries in popular medicine due to its therapeutic characteristics. This substance presents antiinflammatory, anti-tumoral, anti-oxidant and immunomodulator activities, even though many of its mechanisms of action are still unknown. Immunomodulation induced by propolis can be associated with stimulation as well as suppression of certain events of the immune response. The antagonic and sometimes noncomplementary effects on the immunological system can be attributed to the wide chemical variability present among different propolis samples, as well as to the different methodologies used in scientific studies, resulting in a varied pharmacological action. This work aims at reviewing and discussing some aspects related to the mechanism of action of propolis on the immunological system.
KEY WORDS
Propolis; immune system; modulation