What
exactly is propolis
infertility? In this
article we are trying to find this out and also
examining the best answer to infertility problems that
have skyrocketed in recent times. In fact, infertility
specialists are now saying that 1 out of every 6 couples
is now having a problem to have a baby.
Does Propolis help in the cure of
infertility?
Parents, when delivering
metaphorical stories to their little children about
birds and bees (primary sex education) seldom fathom the
range of services that bees provide humanity with,
beyond the fact that they gather honey for us. Bees
collect a resinous substance called Propolis from
leaves, buds and bark of trees to protect their hives
from disease and destruction. Studies have revealed that
this resinous substance forms an effective treatment for
infertility as well, particularly one that is associated
with early stages of endometriosis in women.
Although researchers are still unaware as to how
this is achieved by Propolis, but they have observed
that the bee Propolis is capable of several
pharmacological actions, including inhibition of Aromatase, an enzyme which plays
a dominant role in estrogen metabolism. Several isolated
studies on the benefits of Propolis on women with
infertility and endometriosis have confirmed that
consumption of 500 mg of Propolis twice daily resulted
in improving the pregnancy
rate by
as much as 60% as against 20% with women who were
treated with other medications. Many call this the propolis
infertility
effect.
Interestingly
enough, the bee Propolis also have excellent beneficial
effect in defective sperm function, one of the commonest
causes of male infertility. Also, sperm preparation
techniques such as centrifugation which is used prior to
In Vitro
Fertilization (IVF a common assisted fertilization
method applied mostly in a female factor case) that are
associated with generation of ROS or Reactive Oxygen
Species can be boosted with the help of Propolis. This
observation formed a part of a study designated to
examine In Vitro
the effect of a
Chilean Propolis extract on human spermatozoa treated
with Benzo(a)pyrene along with exogenous
ROS.
But
not only that there are other observations as well.
The experimental evidence also demonstrated the fact
that the natural drug under investigation was able to
protect genomic DNA from damage that is induced by
Benzo(a)pyrene, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
in
combination with adenosine 5 di-phosphate (ADP) and
ferrous sulfate (FeSO4), showing a significant reduction
of intercellular oxidants. However, the Propolis extract
was found to possess the ability to protect sperm
membrane from the harmful action of oxidative aggression
while reducing the thiobarbituric acid-reactive
substances (TBARS) and LDH release. In conclusion, the
results evidenced that the protective outcome of the
natural compound (Propolis) on human spermatozoa
correlated (partly) to the antioxidant ability of its
active ingredients, suggesting that Propolis may play an
active role in safeguarding male fertility.
More uses of Propolis as a
cure
