NZ Health Naturally Propolis Spray UMF® 10+ | 30ml

NZ Health Naturally Propolis Spray UMF 10+

What is Propolis Spray UMF 10+

Propolis and honey are nature’s miracles both produced by honey bees and both have been used for thousands of years for their many medicinal properties. Propolis Spray UMF10+ is an oral liquid containing a combination of these two powerful natural products; propolis and Manuka honey with a UMF10+. Propolis Spray UMF10+ can be used to soothe sore throats and help maintain oral hygiene, combining the antibacterial and soothing properties of propolis and Manuka honey.

Why use  Propolis Spray UMF 10+?

Propolis has been used by ancient civilizations as a traditional medicine for centuries to treat a variety of ailments including inflammation, viral diseases, ulcers, and burns, due to its healing and antiseptic properties. Propolis is a mixture of bee and plant products, produced by honey bees from resins collected mainly from the buds of various different trees, which the bees mix with enzymes, wax and pollen. This becomes propolis, which the bees use to protect the hive from invaders such as parasites, repair the hive by sealing cracks and gaps, and sanitise the hive to protect the larvae from microbial infection. Propolis is rich is bioactive chemicals including flavonoids and triterpenes and has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and wound healing properties^{1, 2, 3.}

What is UMF 10+ Honey?

Honey has also been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Over recent years clinical studies have confirmed some of these properties that honey has been known for and this has led to studies into the medical applications and health benefits of Manuka honey. These include antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties, which can be applied to treating burns and ulcers^4. The Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) is a registered trademark for a grading system that ensures a Manuka honey originates from the nectar of the Manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium, which is indigenous to New Zealand. Manuka honey that has been given a UMF grade is guaranteed as genuine with certified purity and quality, and contains the unique signature compounds characteristic of this honey. These are natural key markers of Manuka honey and include leptosperin (100mg/kg in all grades), DHA (dihydroxyacetone) and methylglyoxal (263 mg/kg in UMF 10+ Manuka Honey) 5. Methylglyoxal in honey is the main component in honey known to contribute to its potent anti-microbial properties^2.

For more information see Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) on the next tab.

What are the Key Benefits of Propolis Spray UMF10+?

• 100% New Zealand made 
• contains natural propolis extracted using a sustainable process
• contains Manuka honey with the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF between 10 and 15), which is not found in all Manuka honeys
• has powerful antioxidant, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and wound healing properties
• natural ingredients for soothing sore a throat and improving oral hygiene 
• contains no added colours, additives, flavours or preservatives

Medicinal properties of propolis and honey

Propolis is widely used for its various medicinal properties in contemporary complementary medicine including for upper respiratory tract infections, to prevent caries and to treat gingivitis and stomatitis; also as a topical preparation for wound healing in the treatment of burns, acne, dermatitis and herpes infections^6. Honey is used for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties, and is used as a topical antibacterial wound care treatment7. Flavonoids are phenolic phytochemicals (plant compounds) found naturally in a range of fruits and vegetable, usually those with bright colours like berries and carrots. Flavonoids are also found in both honey and propolis, and are thought to contribute to most of their many medicinal properties^{1, 2, 3, 6, 7 8, 9.}

Propolis Spray UMF10+ for immune defence

The immune system is the body’s natural defence against invasion by environmental pathogens, like bacteria, viruses and parasites, and is a complex process that involves many cell types that produce an array of chemical mediators like cytokines. The various components of the immune system work together with the aim of recognising the difference between foreign invaders and self, and destroying the invader. An immunomodulator is a substance that affects the way the immune system works. Honey¹⁰ and propolis^{2, 7,} have been shown to have immunomodulatory properties and to influence certain cytokines involved in the immune response^{2, 7, 10.} The immunomodulatory properties of propolis may also explain its anti-bacterial and ant-viral actions, supported by animal and in vitro studies^2.

Propolis Spray UMF10+ for sore throat

A sore throat, or pharyngitis, is caused by inflammation due to infection usually with Streptococcus bacteria. Honey, with its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, is effective in soothing a sore throat by coating the mucous membrane and reducing inflammation while destroying the bacteria that cause the infection^3. In a study comparing honey with the regular cough medications dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine, honey was found to be more effective for relieving cough, which is also a symptom of upper respiratory infection^11. In a review of clinical studies investigating the efficacy of honey and propolis on infections of the upper respiratory tract, both were found to be effective is some conditions like cough, mucositis (inflammation of mucous membranes), stomatitis (inflammation in the mouth) and mouth ulcers^12.

Propolis Spray UMF10+ for oral health and hygiene

The oral cavity is home to many bacteria and if their growth becomes uncontrolled, it can lead to problems for our teeth, like caries as well as gum infections and gingivitis (inflammation of the gum) or even more serious problems like plaque formation and periodontitis (inflammation of the gums and teeth), resulting in periodontal disease^3. Propolis toothpaste and mouthwash has been successfully used to improve oral hygiene by reducing growth of bacterial plaque and reducing risk of tooth and gum disease (periodontal disease^{)3, 13.} An in vitro study using various Manuka honeys demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against specific oral bacteria known to be involved in pathogenesis of periodontal disease, and suggested a potential alternative treatment for gingivitis and periodontitis by infection control. The active antibacterial component in honey is methylglyoxal^14. Using a combination of propolis and Manuka honey, antibacterial activity in vitro was demonstrated against porphyromonas gingivalis, bacteria implicated in the pathogenesis of gingivitis^15.

Serving suggestions of Propolis Spray UMF10+

Use Propolis Spray UMF10+ by spraying into the mouth 4-6 times daily to relieve symptoms of sore throat and to maintain oral hygiene.

For best result:

Store Propolis Spray UMF10+ in a cool dry place, away from direct sun or heat.

Caution:

• Propolis can cause severe allergic reactions in some people. 
• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult your healthcare practitioner before use. 
• Propolis Spray UMF10+ is not suitable for children under 2 years. Keep out of children’s reach.

Product Size

30ml

References

The following references provide scientific support for the use of this product:

1. Viuda-Martos M, Ruiz-Navajas Y, Fernández-López J, Pérez-Álvarez JA. Functional properties of honey, propolis, and royal jelly, Journal of Food Science2008, vol. 73, no. 9, pp. R117–R124. 
2. Cornara L, Biagi M, Xiao J, Burlando B. Therapeutic Properties of Bioactive Compounds from Different Honeybee Products. Front Pharmacol. 2017 Jun 28;8:412. 
3. Pasupuleti VW, Sammugam L, Ramesh N, Gan SH. Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly: A Comprehensive Review of Their Biological Actions and Health Benefits. Oxid Med Cell Longev.2017;2017:1259510
4. Alvarez-Suarez JM, Gasparrini M, Forbes-Hernández TY, Mazzoni L, Giampieri F. The Composition and Biological Activity of Honey: A Focus on Manuka Honey. Foods. 2014 Jul 21;3(3):420-432. 
5. Beitlich N, Lübken T, Kaiser M, Ispiryan L, Speer K. Fluorescent Pteridine Derivatives as New Markers for the Characterization of Genuine Monofloral New Zealand Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) Honey. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2016, 64 (46), pp 8886–8891
6. Wagh VD. Propolis: A Wonder Bees Product and Its Pharmacological Potentials. Adv Pharmacol Sci 2013; 2013: 308249.
7. Carter DA, Blair SE, Cokcetin NN, Bouzo D, Brooks P, Schothauer R, Harry EJ. Therapeutic Manuka Honey: No Longer So Alternative. Front Microbiol. 2016 Apr 20;7:569. 
8. Silva-Carvalho R, Baltazar F, Almeida-Aguiar C. Propolis: A Complex Natural Product with a Plethora of Biological Activities That Can Be Explored for Drug Development. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015; 2015: 206439.
9. Huang S, Zhang C-P, Wang K, Li GQ, Hu F-L. Recent Advances in the Chemical Composition of Propolis. Molecules 2014, 19, 19610-19632. 
10. Molan P, Rhodes T. Honey: A Biologic Wound Dressing. Wounds 2015 Jun;27(6):141-51.Propolis/Honey for sore throat
11. Shadkam MN, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Mozayan MR. A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 16, no. 7, pp. 787–793, 2010. 
12. Henatsch D, Wesseling F, Kross KW, Stokroos RJ. Clin Otolaryngol. 2016 Oct;41(5):519-31. Honey and beehive products in otorhinolaryngology: a narrative review.
13. Khurshid Z, Naseem M, Zafar MS, Najeeb S, Zohaib S. Propolis: A natural biomaterial for dental and oral healthcare. J Dent Res Dent Clin Dent Prospects.2017 Fall;11(4):265-274.
14. Schmidlin PR, English H, Duncan W, Belibasakis GN, Thurnheer T. Antibacterial potential of Manuka honey against three oral bacteria in vitro. Swiss Dent J.2014;124(9):922-4.
15. Eick S, Schäfer G, Kwieciński J, Atrott J , Henle T, Pfister W. Honey – a potential agent against Porphyromonas gingivalis: an in vitro study. BMC Oral Health 2014, 14:24