Study of various forms of propolis nanoparticles and their antibacterial effectiveness

Most bacteria are beneficial to human health, but some have pathogenic properties. Pathogenic bacteria cause diseases in the host by directly damaging tissues or cells during replication via toxin production. Propolis nanoparticles is a method that has the potential to be an effective antibacterial. Advantages of using nanotechnology include boosting the drug delivery system and absorption of active herbal medicine substances, which have poor bioavailability owing to their high molecular weight, improved solubility, rapid penetration with low cytotoxicity, reduced drug dosage, and fewer side effects. This study reviews the literature on the effectiveness of propolis in various forms of nanoparticle technology as an antibacterial agent, which may help researchers to develop nanoparticle technology in the pharmaceutical industry. We conducted this research using search engines, including Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, with the keywords " Nanoparticles,”" Propolis,”and "Antibacterial,” without limiting the year of publication. We conducted a search between April and June 2025. They related the reviewed articles to knowledge of nanoparticle use. Propolis is a natural resinous substance produced by honeybees in various forms. These parameters were used to extract 1699 articles, which were reviewed and examined. The study identified eight types of propolis nanoparticles with antibacterial properties: nanoemulsions, nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), nanosheets, metal nanoparticles, chitosan nanoparticles, nanoencapsulation, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), and polymer nanoparticles. The effectiveness of antibacterial propolis nanoparticles varies agents. The metallic form of propolis nanoparticles is the most effective nanoparticles. Metallic propolis nanoparticles can inhibit 19 types of bacteria and can be applied in eight different forms.