Bee Medicine: Propolis

Today I've had part of a tooth removed. Long running saga details of which i'll spare you. Suffice to say it's sore and i'm grumpy. I just remembered a bottle of Propolis Tincture I have in my dispensary. 

Propolis, sometimes known as bee glue is a brown sticky substance that bees collect from the buds of trees. Below freezing it becomes hard and brittle. Bees use it to fill in small spaces (they fill in larger gaps with wax) and to strengthen parts of the hive. It was thought that bees used it to fill up drafty gaps but new research found it was primarily for strength and health as it has anti viral, anti bacterial and anti parasitic qualities.

Herbalists use propolis dissolved in alcohol as a tincture to put on wounds, as a mouth wash to heal bleeding gums, as a mouthwash to prevent infection after dental operations and also on wounds on other parts of the body. I have given it to patients having lumps or cysts removed to apply around the outside of the wound to promote healing.Given that everything bees make is infused with the natural components of plants as well as the many processes they themselves use to transform the building blocks it is hardly surprising that such things turn out to be medicinal. 

Clinical research as found it effective in the healing of partial thickness burns, healing long standing ulcers and other infections. There is even some interesting evidence coming to light suggesting there may be a role for propolis in cancer treatment.

I should warn you though, propolis tincture tastes at best...interesting. My guess is that a spoon full of honey will help the medicine go down.

Now where's my tea.