Abstract
The optimal concentration of ethanol to separate a high quantity of propolis was $60\%$ but that for the best flavonoids extraction was $80\%$ We compared the yields of propolis from different countries. In this study we used $60\%$ ethanol concentration as a standard. The yield of propolis was proportional to the contents of flavonoids. Namely, Polish propolis which showed the highest yield with $56\%$ by the extraction with $60\%$ ethanol revealed also the highest flavonoids content with $3.49\%$ among all the samples tested The major constituents of propolis differed from country to country. It has been suggested that the different geographical origin influenced the efficacy and the constituents of propolis. Antibacterial activity of ethanol extracted propolis from different countries was tested against 6 microbial strains of type cultures including Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus agalactiae) and Gram- negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris and E coli) in vitro. Propolis extract showed anti-microbial activity against all the tested bacterial strains. In addition, propolis was sensitive to E coli which was resistant to broad spectrum antibiotics like ampicillin. These results showed that propolis may substituted for commercial antibiotics. The efficiency of anti-microbial activity of the propolis was slightly higher in $80\%$ than $97\%$ ethanol extract.