Geopropolis from stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836: chemical characterization and compounds of interest

Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 (Mandacaia) is a species of stingless bee, native in Brazil, that produces geopropolis, a physical mixture of propolis and clay, instead of producing conventional propolis. The present work aimed to chemically and thermally characterize MandaCaia's geopropolis collected at Campo Alegre city, located in southern Brazil, and deepen the range of knowledge about its properties. The propolis extraction was carried out by hydroalcoholic maceration. Characterizations were performed using ultra-violet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). UV-Vis results demonstrated a total polyphenol content of 10.15 +/- 0.24mg GAE.g(-1) and total flavonoid content of 22.51 +/- 3.47mg QE.g(-1). Chemical species from phenolic compounds such as terpenes, diterpenes, and fatty acids were identified by UHPLC. In conclusion, data showed that Mandacaia's geopropolis extract has a rich and diverse chemical composition which encourages new studies about its pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications.