Antibacterial activity of pollen and propolis extracts

Author: Birol Özkalp ¹ and Mehmet Musa Özcan ^2*

Received 10 January 2010, accepted 2 April 2010.

Abstract

The antimicrobial activities of different concentrations of pollen and propolis extracts were determined against nine food-borne pathogens (Streptococcus salivarius RSHE 605, Listeria monocytogenes NCTC 5348, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076, Staphylococcus pneumoniae ATCC 10015, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae NCTC 5049, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Bacillus anthracis) in model systems. The extracts and antibiotic discs (ciprofloxacin, cefaperazon sulbaktam, penicilline, amikacine, cefepime, gentamicine, ceftriaxone) exhibited inhibitory effect at the varying levels against tested bacteria. Among the tested bacteria, L. monocytogenes and P. aeruginosa were the most sensitive ones to 50 ppm concentrations of both extracts. The highest effect concentrations towards B. anthracis were 600 ppm dose of pollen and propolis extracts. The 400 and 600 ppm levels of propolis extracts on L. monocytogenes NCTC 5348 exhibited similar antimicrobial effects compared with amikacine, gentamicine and cefriaxone antibiotics. Also, 600 ppm concentration of propolis had higher effect against B. anthracis compared with cefepime, gentamicine and cefriaxone antibiotics. The inhibitory effect of propolis extract was found to be higher than that of pollen against tested bacteria. Propolis especially appears to be promising in this respect.

Key words: Pollen, propolis, extract, antibacterial effect, food-borne pathogens.