CAPE-rich Propolis Extract Reduces AD-related Amnesia in Mice

Propolis from NZ (New Zealand) and China are rich in an anti-cancer polyphenol called CAPE (caffeic acid phenethyl ester), and we have recently shown that Bio 30, CAPE-rich extract of NZ propolis (100 mg/kg), indeed suppresses almost completely the growth of brain tumors such as glioma and NF tumor xenografts in mice.

In this fall, Rui Wang’s group at Lanzhou University in China found that water-soluble (CAPE-rich) extract of Chinese propolis (100 mg/kg) effectively reduces the scopolamine-induced learning/memory impairment (amnesia) in mice, suggesting that such a propolis extract would be potentially useful for the treatment of AD (Alzheimer’s Disease) and other neurodegenerative diseases such as HD (Huntington’s Disease).

Although they tend to believe that its anti-AChE activity is responsible for the anti-amnesia action, the anti-AD/HD action is more likely due to its anti-PAK1 activity leading to the activation of Foxo and heat shock genes such as Hsp16 which would eventually block the beta-amyloid (BA) or polyQ (polyGln) –induced neurotoxicity, according to our recent study using the nematode C. elegans.


Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2008 Sep;90: 441-6.

Water-soluble derivative of propolis mitigates scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in mice.

Chen J, Long Y, Han M, Wang T, Chen Q, Wang R.

Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, 222 Tian Shui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.

The water-soluble derivative of propolis (WSDP) was prepared from fresh Chinese propolis. It has been reported that propolis possessed a broad spectrum of biological activities but including few studies on learning and memory by now. Thus, this study was aimed to investigate the effect of WSDP on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in mice. WSDP (100 mg/kg) was given by intragastric administration (i.g.) 40 min prior to the intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of scopolamine (1 mg/kg).The effect on amnesia was investigated with both hidden-platform acquisition training and probe trial testing in Morris water maze test. The results from 100 mg/kg WSDP group showed significant mitigation scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice.

Furthermore, WSDP (100 mg/kg) significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the hippocampus of scopolamine-treated mice. These results indicated that WSDP may mitigate amnesia in vivo through inhibition of AChE activity in the hippocampus, which suggested propolis may have potential as a pharmaceutical of brain protection with elderly population for preventing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases.