Bee Propolis Throat Spray

• Used in herbal medicine to help relieve a sore throat
• Used in herbal medicine to help relieve mouth and throat infections
• Source of antioxidants for the maintenance of good health
• Sustainably produced, non-GMO propolis

Natural Factors Bee Propolis Throat Spray offers targeted support to relieve a sore throat and/or other mouth and throat infections. Created by bees to protect hives against microbes and bacteria, propolis is a unique substance that enhances immune function and offers antioxidant activity. Propolis spray may also help freshen breath.

Natural Factors Bee Propolis Throat Spray helps soothe a sore throat and relieves the symptoms of mouth and throat infections. Naturally flavoured with black cherry, each spray contains the equivalent of 37.5 mg of dried propolis (Apis mellifera) to help support immune function. This product features sustainably produced and non-GMO propolis.

Propolis is a unique substance created by bees from tree sap. Bees use propolis to sterilize their hives and seal it against invading microbes and bacteria. Propolis is a source of antioxidants and has been used for thousands of years, dating back to the Ancient Greeks and Assyrians, who used it on abscesses and wounds to help fight infection.

There are over 300 compounds present in propolis, most of which are antioxidant polyphenols, including bioflavonoids. Some of these compounds demonstrate antibacterial and antimicrobial activity, with propolis naturally protecting bee hives against some bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Natural Factors Bee Propolis Throat Spray is a convenient travel-size product that offers a quick and easy way to freshen breath, support immune function, and soothe a sore throat.

How it works

Propolis contains high amounts of polyphenols – antioxidant compounds that include bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids help guard against oxidative damage and have also been shown to support immune function in a variety of ways: they strengthen capillary walls and connective tissue, enhance vitamin C absorption, and offer support for upper respiratory tract health.

Some flavonoids found in propolis have also demonstrated an ability to inhibit inflammatory responses including reducing the production of pro-inflammatory nitrous oxide.

Propolis appears to support immune function in several ways, including stimulating phagocytosis, a process where white blood cells engulf and destroy bacteria. It also appears to activate dendritic cells involved in the early stages of the immune response. However, propolis does not destroy beneficial bacteria. Instead, it appears to target the undesirable bacteria, making it one of nature’s strongest antibiotic substances.

Propolis also contains trace minerals including magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, beta carotene, and vitamins B1 and B2.

Recommended adult dose

Consult a health care practitioner if symptoms persist or worsen. Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are allergic to bee products, poplar tree products, or balsam of Peru, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Hypersensitivity, such as allergy, has been known to occur, in which case discontinue use immediately. Keep out of the reach of children.

Research

Research Although the precise mechanisms by which propolis soothes a sore throat and eases other cold symptoms remain unknown, research suggests that propolis possesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-ulcer activities. This is likely due to constituents of propolis including polyphenols, phenolic aldehydes, sequiterpene quinines, coumarins, and amino acids (Khalil, 2006).

Flavonoids isolated from propolis can markedly inhibit inflammatory responses, including suppressing the activation of nuclear factor kappa-beta (NF-kB), a pro-inflammatory molecule (FunakoshiTago et al., 2016). Propolis has also been seen to enhance immune system activity against fungal infection by modulating the expression of specific cell receptors in human large phagocytes (monocytes), a type of white blood cell (Búfalo et al., 2014). In the same study, propolis modulated production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10, both of which are involved in immune system activity and inflammation.

In another laboratory study, researchers found that monocytes incubated with lipopolysaccharides and propolis caused an increase in activation of dendritic cells and had a bactericidal effect against Streptococcus mutans compared to cells incubated without propolis (Conti et al., 2016). Dendritic cells are essential for recognition and presentation of pathogens to T cells, meaning that propolis may help the immune system to identify and target invading microbes faster.

One of the earliest studies looking at the immune system benefits of propolis took place in an ear, nose and throat clinic in Poland in 1987 involving 50 adults infected with rhinovirus, which causes the common cold. The adults who took propolis recovered from their cold symptoms two and a half times faster than the control group not receiving propolis. Five patients recovered completely within just one day, sixteen recovered in two days, and three recovered in three days. In contrast, the placebo group took an average of almost five days (4.8 days) to recover (Szmeja et al., 1989).

Propolis toothpaste was found to support gum health and decrease plaque index scores in a study involving orthodontic appliances, suggesting a potential antibacterial and antioxidant effect with localized propolis use, such as in a spray (Machorowska-Pieniazek et al., 2016). When taken orally at a dose of 500 mg daily, propolis was found in one small pilot study to significantly reduce the occurrence of aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) in adults, in addition to improving quality of life (Samet et al., 2007).

Compounds in propolis have demonstrated impressive antioxidant activity, including a capacity for scavenging free radicals and preventing lipid peroxidation (a process that results in cell damage) (Popova et al., 2015).