Brazilian propolis protects Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells against oxidative stress

Sá, Rafael A. deCastro, Frederico A.V. deEleutherio, Elis C.A.Souza, Raquel M. deSilva, Joaquim F.M. daPereira, Marcos D.

Propolis is a natural product widely used for humans. Due to its complex composition, a number of applications (antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, anesthetic, cytostatic and antioxidant) have been attributed to this substance. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a eukaryotic model we investigated the mechanisms underlying the antioxidant effect of propolis from Guarapari against oxidative stress. Submitting a wild type (BY4741) and antioxidant deficient strains (ctt1, sod1, gsh1, gtt1 and gtt2) either to 15 mM menadione or to 2 mM hydrogen peroxide during 60 min, we observed that all strains, except the mutant sod1, acquired tolerance when previously treated with 25 µg/mL of alcoholic propolis extract. Such a treatment reduced the levels of ROS generation and of lipid peroxidation, after oxidative stress. The increase in Cu/Zn-Sod activity by propolis suggests that the protection might be acting synergistically with Cu/Zn-Sod.

1. oxidative stress
2. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
3. propolis
4. antioxidant