Antimicrobial Activity Of Propolis Against Some Bacteria And Fungi

Propolis is a natural, low cost, non toxic bee product. The study was aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of crude ethanolic extract of Egyptian propolis (EEEP) against two multidrug resistant bacteria and twelve veterinary medical important fungi.
Antibacterial and antifungal activity was determined by diffusion (disc and agar well diffusion) and dilution methods, compared with  other antimicrobial agents .
 Results revealed that S.aureus showed higher sensitivity to EEEP than other E.coli. The effect of EEP was elevated when the concentration increased to 80 and 160 mg/ml. Considering the diameter of the inhibitory zones and MIC values, S.aureus and E.coli showed susceptibility to propolis with inhibition zone diameters of 23 and 17 mm,respectively by disc diffusion test, while they reach 24 and 23 mm, respectively, by agar well diffusion test. Propolis showed similar antibacterial activity as the other tested agents (Oxacillin, Nalidixic acid, Neomycin, Ciprofloxacin, E-moxclav, Doxycycline, Erythromycin, Gentamicin and Sulphamethoxazole Trimethoprim) ,MIC value was 6.4 mg/ml for both bacterial spp.
 EEP at concentration, 20 mg/ml was effective against all examined five yeast spcies by well diffusion as well as dilution method and can be arranged as Trichosporon  cutaneum < Cryptococcus neoformans and Rhodotorula rubra < Candida albicans < Geotrichum candidum . Moulds species tested by the dilution ( media incorporated with propolis and other antimycotic drugs) method ,indicated that, propolis showed important antifungal activity against tested dermatophytes  at 40 mg/l concentration while non dermatophytes at 160 mg/l.
The obtained results emphasized that ,the propolis can be used as alternative treatment in some bacterial and fungal infections, but more research should be carried out to standardize their active ingredients  and action