## 1 Introduction  
Honey is a natural substance produced by the western honeybee (_Apis mellifera_) from nectar and exudates of flowers and trees. Honey contains flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and numerous sugars in its composition, mainly glucose and fructose. It also contains small amounts of minerals, vitamins, proteins, and enzymes [1; 2; 3; 4; 5].  
Propolis is a resinous substance produced by the same species of bees, being composed of wax, resinous secretions from plants, tree buds, pollen, and salivary enzymes. Propolis contains essential oils and organic compounds such as phenolic acids and flavonoids [4; 6; 7; 8]. Similarly to honey, propolisis also contains several minerals, vitamins, and enzymes [9]. This substance is used to protect the beehive, acting as a natural sealant, antiseptic, and embalming agent [1; 4; 6; 7; 8; 10].  
The color and flavor of both honey and propolisis vary according to the plant species used in their production, health state of the bees, season, and the environmental conditions to which the beehive is exposed [2; 3; 4; 5]. The color of the honey can vary from deep brown to yellow, and propolisiscan be found in variations of green, red, or brown [6; 7; 11]. Differences in their composition result in different biological activities [1; 4; 7; 12]. Honey and propolis have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years mainly in burns and infected lesions [4; 10]. Propolis was used primarily as an oral antiseptic and in dermal lesions. In ancient Egypt, propolis was also employed in mummification [6].  
The main mechanism of action of honey derives from its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities [1; 2; 10]. The antioxidant potential of honey is due to the presence of phenolic compounds, namely gallic acid and flavonoids, that promote the free radical scavenging [2; 10]. Its anti-inflammatory activity is associated with the ability to increase cellular proliferation, autolytic debridement, and to stimulate the immune system, reducing edema and pain [10]. Propolis has a higher content in flavonoids and phenolic acids than honey, which suggests that propolis should have a higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities [1; 7].  
Currently, an increasing interest in mixing propolis with honey was verified, as products including propolis are already available on the market. The commercial achievement of these products is dependent of the level of acceptance and expectations of the consumers [1]. However, the potential benefits of adding propolis to honey is still to be scientifically validated.  
Wounds are responsible for the consumption of large amounts of healthcare resources to ameliorate the quality of life of patients, and so they represent a considerable health challenge. Several scientific experiments have been performed to find novel compounds that possess wound-healing properties, particularly from natural sources [13]. Honey was employed for the repair of battle wounds in both World War I and in modern history. The healing activity of honey in infected wounds was initially described in Europe and USA in mid-20 th century [10]. Moreover, evidences suggest that propolis has therapeutic activity, through quantitative and qualitative analyses of collagen types I and III expression and degradation in wounds matrix, which suggests the favorable biochemical environment supporting re-epithelialization of propolis [11].  
The first aim of this study was to phytochemically characterize different samples of honey and propolis together with mixtures of propolis extracts with honey in different concentrations, determining the contents in total phenolic compounds and flavonoids, as well as evaluating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The second purpose of this work was to evaluate the _in vitro_ wound-healing activity of the samples using normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) by means of the scratch assay.