Composition of Propolis in Oxfordshire, U.K. and its Relation to Poplar Bud Exudate

Propolis is a mixture of wax, sugars and plant exudates used by bees as a general purpose glue and sealant within hives. There is a long history of medicinal usage of propolis although propolis can cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals [1, 2]. Various components of propolis have been assessed for their antimicrobial properties [3—7], Components identified as having antimicrobial properties are all derived from the plant exudate and this exudate may be collected from various trees including Alnus sp. [6], Betula sp. [8] and Populus sp. [9, 10]. We have previously investigated the composition of propolis from England and Scotland and have reported the close similarity between propolis balsam (a 70% alcohol extract of propolis) from Buckland, Oxon., and the exudate of adjacent Populus X euramericana (Dode) Guinier trees [11]. We here report the variation in composition which occurs in propolis obtained from four locations in Oxfordshire, U.K. and relate this variation to the exudates gathered.