Bee glue scientometrics and therapeutics: phytochemical screening, methodological trends and prospects

The objective of this scientometric review is to search the literature in order to examine the uses and effects of propolis and highlight emerging trends and research gaps in relation to this natural product. The review also systematizes the study models used, methodological trends, and the main obstacles faced in the collection, extraction, and concentration of the raw material, as well as the emerging challenges in the standardization of extracts and their bioactive compounds for use in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. The search revealed that propolis has a wide range of effects, including anti-inflammatory, healing, antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, and anticarcinogenic activities, arising mainly from its polyphenolic compounds. A multivariate analysis of canonical correspondence was used to correlate these compounds with these effects. In order to identify and retrieve the most important published literature in this field in the last decade, a database search (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) was performed. The search terms were: propolis, biological properties, therapeutics, adjuvant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, healing, anticarcinogenic, antinociceptive, neuroregenerative, and toxicity, as well as their respective combinations. The multivariate analysis clarified the effects played by the propolis metabolites. The review also revealed that few articles have explored the antinociceptive and neurological effects of propolis, highlighting a gap in this research field, and the possible neglect of important targets for the development of drugs for neurological diseases and the treatment of pain. The results also reinforced the need for more studies on living systems and showed a trend for methods using superfluid extraction, with ethanol being the most suitable solvent. The review also indicated the potential use of propolis extract in nutraceutical and as an adjuvant, enhancing the effects of other drugs.