Comparison of total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of propolis in different solvents

Abstract

This study aims to determine which solvent is the best for the solubility of the propolis by using concentrations of total polyphenols and flavonoids, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and total antioxidant status (TAS) in extracts of propolis from different provinces of Türkiye prepared with water, ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol and acetone. Propolis samples were lyophilized in the same solvents except for that glycerol and acetone. Total concentrations of polyphenols and flavonoids, FRAP, and TAS of both normal and lyophilized extracts were found be consistent when compared with each other. After extraction of propolis and evaluation of the total polyphenol and flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity, we concluded that it is mostly dissolved in DMSO, and after that in ethanol, acetone, glycerol respectively, and the least in water according to our extraction and analysis methods