Topical anti-inflammatory activity of an innovative aqueous formulation of Actichelated Propolis vs. two commercial propolis formulations.

A novel aqueous commercial formulation of a new hydrophilic propolis product (Actichelated® Propolis, contained in ‘LeniGola PropolEffect Spray Senza Alcohol’; Pharbenia, Milan, Italy) was evaluated for its topical antiinflammatory activity in comparison with a hydroglyceric propolis spray solution (‘Propoli LeniGola Spray Senza Alcool’; Pharbenia, Milan, Italy) and a hydroalcohol preparation (‘Propoli LeniGola Spray Forte’; Pharbenia, Milan, Italy). Actichelated® propolis (Actimex, Trieste, Italy) is a multicomposite material obtained with a patented technology, mechano-chemical activation, which application led to a new hydrosoluble form of propolis. Each propolis preparation provoked a dose-dependent inhibition of the croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice. Considering the administered doses of flavonoids, ‘LeniGola PropolEffect Spray Senza Alcool’ (ID50 = 13.6 μL/cm2, corresponding to 13.6 μg flavonoids/cm2) is slightly more active than the hydroglyceric formulation ‘Propoli LeniGola Spray’ (ID50 = 13.7 μL/cm2, corresponding to 20.6 μg flavonoids/cm2) and six times more active than the hydroalcohol preparation ‘Propoli LeniGola Spray Forte’ (ID50 = 5.5 μL/cm2, corresponding to 82.5 μg flavonoids/cm2). As a reference, 15 μL/cm2 of the commercial sprays Tantum® Verde and Froben®, containing 37.5 or 45 μg of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs benzidamine hydrochloride or flurbiprofen, induced 18% and 35% oedema inhibition, respectively.