Analytical approaches utilized for the characterization of polyphenols from propolis useful for the
determination of its quality is investigated in this study. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of
propolis bioactive molecules is of interest in medicine and nutraceuticals. Recent powerful analytical
techniques are of great utility to separate and quantify polyphenols in extracts and finished products
due to their capacity to produce typical fingerprints and a reliable identification of many components.
According to this, an HPLC-UV-MS procedure was validated and applied for the characterization and
quantification of bioactive substances in propolis and for an accurate assessment of their content in
extract samples. By using this analytical approach, we obtained specific compositions related to brown
propolis acquired from different geographic areas (and preparations and treatment). This is more
important by considering the scientific opinion of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which
provided a negative response related to health claims of propolis and its polyphenols. These results
prove that HPLC-MS is an attractive tool for the standardization and quality control of propolis and may
be realistically applied to screen raw material and to evaluate finished commercial preparations and
nutraceutical benefits
