Spherical and homogenous microparticles of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), containing propolis were prepared by the emulsification-solvent evaporation technique. Using this method of preparation, a solid formulation of propolis, free of ethanol and suitable for manipulation and storage, was obtained from an ethanolic extract of propolis. The incorporation efficiency of propolis in the microparticles was almost 30% and around 60% of the substance was released in 48 h. In vitro propolis microparticles exhibited similar halo zones in the Petri plate test against Streptococcus mutans (GS5) with a 10-fold lower concentration than the free propolis extract showing that the encapsulated propolis in microparticles is more efficient as antibiotic.624287290Baras, B., Benoit, M.-A., Poulain-Godefroy, O., Schacht, A.-M., Capron, A., Gillard, J., Riveau, G., Vaccine properties of antigens entrapped in microparticles produced by spray-drying technique and using various polyester polymers (2000) Vaccine, 18, pp. 1495-1505Bruschi, M.L., Cardoso, M.L.C., Lucchesi, M.B., Gremião, M.P.D., Gelatin microparticles containing propolis obtained by spray-drying technique: Preparation and characterization (2003) Int J Pharm, 264, pp. 45-55Castro, S.L., Propolis: Biological and pharmacological activities. Therapeutic uses of this bee-product (2001) Ann Rev Biomed Sci, 3, pp. 49-83Gebara, E.C.E., Lima, L.A., Mayer, M.P.A., Propolis antimicrobial activity against periodontopathic bacteria (2002) Braz J Microbiol, 33, pp. 365-369Hai, Y., Zheng, W., Gao, Y., Encapsulation and properties of propolis extract powder (2002) Zhongguo Shipin Zazhish, 23, pp. 61-64Koo, H., Rosalen, P.L., Cury, J.A., Ambrosano, G.M.B., Murata, R.M., Yatsuda, R., Ikegaki, M., Park, Y.K., Effect of a new variety of Apis mellifera propolis on mutans Streptococci (2000) Current Microbiol, 41, pp. 192-196Leitao, D.P.D., Da Silva, A.A., Polizello, A.C.M., Bastos, J.K., Spadaro, A.C.C., Comparative evaluation in vitro effects of Brazilian green propolis and Baccharis dracunculifolia extracts on cariogenic factors of Streptococcus mutans (2004) Biol Pharm Bull, 27, pp. 1834-1839Maciejewicz, W., Daniewski, M., Marowski, W., GC-MS identification of flavonoids algycones isolated from propolis (2001) Chromatography, 53, pp. 343-346Melo, P.S., De Azevedo, M.M.M., Haun, M., Durán, N., Violacein and violacein-loaded poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles induce apoptosis via a mitochondrial pathway in human leukemic cells (2005) Proc. Thirth Meeting Network of Nanobiotechnology, 3, pp. 56-57. , Research Progress São Pedro, BrazilMoreno, M.M., Isla, M.L., Samlietro, A.R., Vattuone, M.A., Comparison of the free radical-scaveging activity of propolis from several regions of Argentina (2000) J Ethnopharmacol, 71, pp. 109-114Murad, J.M., SAMVC, C., Bankova, V., Sforcin, J.M., Effects of propolis from Brazil and Bulgaria on fungicidal activity of macrophages against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (2004) J Enthnopharmacol, 79, pp. 331-334Paraventi BH, Esposito E (2002) Atividade antimicrobiana de propolis em bacterias orais. Estudo in vitro. Anais Encontro Pesquisa Inic. Cientif., Primeiro Congresso de Odontologia da UMC, Outubro, p. 71Pepeljnjak, S., Jalsenjak, J.M., Maysinger, D., Influence of microencapsulation propolis extract on Bacillus subtilis strain IP-5832 (1981) Acta Pharm Jugoslavica, 31, pp. 27-32Sawaya, A.C.H.F., Souza, K.L., Marcucci, M.C., Cunha, I.B.S., Shimizu, M.T., Analysis of the composition of brazilian propolis extract by chromatography and evaluation of their in vitro activity against gram- positive bacteria (2004) Braz J Microbiol, 35, pp. 104-109Santoyo, S., Ga de Jalén, E., Ygatua, P., Renedo, M.J., Branco-Prieto, M.J., Optimization of topical cidofovir penetration using microparticles (2002) Int J Pharm, 242, pp. 107-113Sforcin, J.M., Fernandes Jr, A., Lopes, C.A.M., Bankova, V., Funari, S.R.C., Seasonal effect on Brazilian propolis antibacterial activity (2000) J Ethnopharmacology, 73, pp. 243-249Uzel, A., Sorkun, K., Oncag, O., Cogulu, D., Gencay, M., Salih, B., Chemical compositions and antimicrobial activities of four different Anatolian propolis samples (2005) Microbiol Res, 160, pp. 189-19
