Isolation of triterpenes from propolis (bee glue)

Propolis (bee glue) is a natural substance produced by bees upon collection of mainly plant resins. Bees use it as antiseptic sealing agent between honeycombs and to preserve the hive from external contamination. Numerous scientific studies have been published on the biological properties of propolis including its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immunostimulant, antitumour and antimicrobial activity. Different propolis chemotypes have been characterised based on the nature of the plant-derived substances present and the geographical origin of collection. Here, we describe the isolation of nine triterpenes from a sample of propolis originating from North-Western Cameroon. All compounds were identified following analysis of their spectroscopic data and comparison with previously published reports.