The Functional Ability of Stingless Bees (<i>Lepidotrigona</i>) Propolis on Inflammation‐Related Disorders

The large majority of the bees in the Apidae family are honey bees and stingless bees. Despite honey bees (Apis mellifera) being widely distributed worldwide, Lepidotrigona sp. is a particular genuine stingless bee that can be found only in the Southeast Asia region and Taiwan. Hence, the objectives of this study were firstly to identify Lepidotrigona propolis as an alternative medicine and investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells by the determination of cell viability, dendritic cell morphology, nitric oxide (NO) production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, and inflammation-related proteins analysis. In this study, the polyphenols and flavones in the propolis have been detected by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Compared to the LPS group, this propolis type also showed decreased NO and ROS production and a change in cell morphology. Additionally, Lepidotrigona propolis can downregulate the expression of some inflammation-related proteins, such as iNOS, TNF-α, NF-κB, and IL-6. In summary, our study has unveiled the diverse therapeutic properties of Lepidotrigona propolis, particularly its potent anti-inflammatory effects. This discovery opens up a promising avenue for developing a novel therapeutic alternative for human health, instilling hope for the future of medical science.