Identification of the plant origin of the botanical biomarkers of Mediterranean type propolis.
Propolis is a honeybee product which bees produce by collecting resins from various botanical sources. The chemical composition of propolis is directly dependant on the availability of resinous plant materials in different geographic regions. This study was undertaken to evaluate the resinous plant sources used by bees to produce Mediterranean type propolis. Although this propolis type has already been the subject of numerous studies, its major botanical source had not yet been identified. In this study, using GC-MS analysis, we identify the resin of the common cypress, Cupressus_sempervirens, as the major plant source of the characteristic diterpene fingerprint profile of Mediterranean propolis.
Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str. Bl. 9, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Milena
M
Popova
Boryana
B
Trusheva
Simone
S
Cutajar
Daniela
D
Antonova
David
D
Mifsud
Claude
C
Farrugia
Vassya
V
Bankova
D015415:Biomarkers; D029781:Cupressus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D011429:Propolis / Q000032:analysis*; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000032:analysis*
D015415:Biomarkers; D012116:Resins, Plant; D011429:Propolis