title: Pythium insidiosum: inhibitory effects of propolis and geopropolis on hyphal growth.
abstract: Propolis and geopropolis are resinous products of bees showing antimicrobial effects. There is no data concerning their action against Pythium insidiosum - the causative agent of pythiosis, a pyogranulomatous disease of the subcutaneous tissue that affects mostly horses, dogs and humans. Fragments of 15 isolates of P. insidiodum were incubated with propolis and geopropolis extracts and evaluated for up to seven days to detect the minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC). Propolis inhibited three isolates at 1.0mgmL-1after 24h and all other isolates at 3.4mgmL-1. Geopropolis led to more variable results, exerting predominantly a fungistatic action than a fungicidal one. Propolis was more efficient than geopropolis in inhibiting P. insidiosum since lower concentrations led to no growth after 24h. This effect may be due to propolis chemical composition, which has more active compounds than geopropolis. Propolis seemed to be a good candidate for in vivo studies, since treatment with conventional antifungal compounds is difficult in most of the cases, requiring extensive surgical debridement.
authors: Unesp Univ Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Maria José Abigail Mendes
authors: MJ
authors: Araújo
authors: Unesp Univ Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Sandra de Moraes Gimenes
authors: SM
authors: Bosco
authors: Unesp Univ Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: sforcin@ibb.unesp.br.
authors: José Maurício
authors: JM
authors: Sforcin
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D025301:Hyphae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011429:Propolis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011775:Pythium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D011429:Propolis
keywords: Africanized honeybees; Geopropolis; Propolis; Pythium insidiosum; Stingless bees