The potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), is a ubiquitous pest on potatoes, tobacco, tomato and othercrops. The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida Murray, is a pest of European honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in severalcountries in the world. Propolis is a balm-like substance collected from plants by bees. Its chemical composition variesand depends mainly on the flora in the region in which it is collected as well as the bee species. Hitherto biologicalproperties and the chemical composition of the essential oil extracted from propolis of Korean origin are unknown. Inthis study, while searching for an environmentally friendly method to control these pests we evaluated the repellent effectsof essential oil of propolis collected from Bee Lab of Andong National University and found that it possess repellentactivity against both small hive beetle and potato tuber moth. Moreover, a total of 171 constituents of the oil were identifiedof which 6 were major compounds using GC/MS analysis. We also compared the chemical composition of this oil withthose from 2 Ethiopian regions.

Propolis possesses antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anaesthetic and immunostimulating activities. The aim of this study was to evaluated chemical composition and in vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of eight propolis ethanolic extracts form different region in Korea. The chemical composition of eight Korean propolis was investicated by absorption spectrophotomety and UHPLC. Total penolic and total flavonoids content ranged between 21±1.5 and 31±1.8 gallic acid g/100 g and 7.2±0.9 and 24.4±1.9 quercetin g/100 g, respectively. The p-coumaric acid as standard components content ranged between 0.29±0.00 and 2.34±0.02 mg/g using UHPLC. Cinnamic acid content between 0.43±0.00 and 1.33±0.01 mg/g. 80% ethanolic extract of propolis against H. pylori was evaluated by using the disc diffusion method. Ethanol was used as a control. Mean diameters of H. pylori growth inhibition using 10 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL or 100 μg/mL ethanol propolis per disc were 0, ranging from 0.9 to 2.1 mm and from 1.9 to 3.5 mm, respectively. In conclusion, variation in the chemical composition of Korean propolis were mainly due to the difference in the preferred regional plants visited by honeybees. Also Korean propolis possesses considerable antibacterial activity against H. pylori. There was not confirmed a correlation between the chemical composion contens and anti-H. pylori effect. The potential of propolis in the prevention or treatment of H. pylori infection is worth further extensive evaluation.

Propolis collected from botanical sources by honey bee, has been used as a popular natural remedies in folk medicine throughout the world. This study was conducted to assess growth inhibitory effects of ethanol extracts of propolis (EEPs) from 20 different regions in South Korea on human intestinal bacteria as well as BACE-1, AChE inhibitory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and anti-human rhinovirus activities. Correlation coefficient (r) analysis of the biological activities of EEP samples was determined using their 50% inhibition concentration or minimal inhibitory concentration values and their polyphenol or flavonoid contents in 20 Korean EEP samples. Correlation coefficient analysis showed that total polyphenol contents may be negatively correlated with DPPH free radical scavenging activity (r = –0.872) and total flavonoid content has no correlation with the activity (r = 0.071). No direct correlation between BACE-1 inhibition, AChE inhibition, or antiproliferative activity and total polyphenol or total flavonoid content in Korean EEP samples was found.