Chemical characterization, antioxidant and anti-HIV activities of a Brazilian propolis from Ceará state

ABSTRACT Propolis (bee glue) a product of Apis mellifera L. is a resinous mixture containing chiefly beeswax and resin harvested by bees from plant leaves, buds and exudates. Extracts of a propolis sample from Salitre, a municipality of Ceará state (northeast Brazil) were obtained with solvents of increasing polarity (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol). A chemical profile was carried out by GC–EI-MS and HPLC–DAD–ESI-MS/MS. Lupenone, lupeol, octanoic acid tetracosyl ester and octanoic acid hexacosyl ester were identified by GC–EI-MS. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by t...