Antimicrobial activity of propolis samples from two different regions of Anatolia

Antimicrobial activity of two propolis samples from Kazan and Marmaris regions in Turkey were investigated by the disc diffusion method. Antimicrobial activity was tested with four different ethanolic extracts (30, 50, 70, and 96% ethanol) of each sample against seven Gram positive, four Gram negative bacteria and one fungus culture. The activity was found to be mainly due to caffeic acid and its esters. An isomeric mixture containing 3,3-dimethylallyl caffeate, and isopent-3-enyl caffeate was isolated from Kazan propolis samples. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.