# Comparison of the Biological Potential and Chemical Composition of Brazilian and Mexican Propolis
## 2 Methods  
This work gave priority to relevant scientific articles (published from 2010) referring to research conducted using propolisis from Brazil and Mexico. For the preparation of tables and figures, data (antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, contaminants) reported in the articles were extracted. Graphs were plotted to summarize propolisis' inhibitory activities against microorganisms and cancer cell lines.  
Table 1 was generated to classify the data obtained from the different articles validated in this study. For general antibacterial activity (Table 1), the species inhibited by different extracts of Brazilian and Mexican propolisis were counted and displayed in 2 graphs, one for the Brazilian and another for Mexican propolisis. Figures to show the distribution of Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of each extract were also made (Table 1). For that purpose, all MICs from 13 papers (for Brazilian and Mexican Propolis) were converted to \(\upmu\)g/mL and added to a spreadsheet, and then divided in 5 intervals to facilitate visualization. Papers that did not determinate the MIC were excluded. Following, the frequency of a MIC in each interval was measured by counting every time a MIC was found in each interval. In Table 1, the frequency is shown, for example, as follows: the ethanolic extract of Brazilian green propolisis had 4 MIC in the interval of 0-31.3, 9 in the 50-250, 5 in the 400-1600, 3 in the 3000-10,000, and none in the 29,000-300,000 \(\upmu\)g/mL interval.  
The same methodology was used for the cytotoxic activity figures. Cell line and inhibitory concentration (IC\({}_{50}\)) frequency graphs were made for both countries (Table 1). The different types of cell lines and the times they appeared in 16 papers of Brazilian propolisis and in 5 papers of Mexican propolisis were listed. Then, the cells were grouped by the human body system they belong to and 2 graphs were made for each country: one for cells grouped in systems and another for the cell lines. The IC\({}_{50}\) frequency graph followed  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c} \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{**Distribution of Brazilian Propolis Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations**} \\ \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{**Type of Propolis Extract**} & \multicolumn{6}{c}{**Concentration (\(\upmu\)g/mL)**} \\ \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{**0–31.3**} & **50–250** & **400–1600** & **3000–10,000** & **29,000–300,000** \\ \hline Ethanolic Extract of Green Propolis (EtGP) & 4 & 9 & 5 & 3 & 0 \\ Supercritical Extract of Green Propolis (ScGP) & 0 & 2 & 8 & 0 & 0 \\ Ethanolic Extract of Red Propolis (EtRP) & 8 & 11 & 3 & 4 & 3 \\ Supercritical Extract of Red Propolis (ScRP) & 0 & 9 & 5 & 1 & 0 \\ Ethanolic Extract of Brown Propolis (EtBP) & 0 & 2 & 9 & 1 & 0 \\ Supercritical Extract of Brown Propolis (ScBP) & 0 & 0 & 9 & 0 & 0 \\ \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{**Distribution of Mexican Propolis Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations**} \\ \hline  & 0–64 & 100–512 & 750–3750 & 7500–15,000 & 20,000–30,000 \\ \hline Aqueous Extract (Aq) & 0 & 0 & 20 & 37 & 60 \\ Ethanolic Extract (Et) & 12 & 31 & 54 & 19 & 15 \\ Methanolic Extract (Met) & 10 & 15 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{**Distribution of Brazilian and Mexican Propolis Inhibitory Concentration (IC\({}_{50}\))**} \\ \hline  & 1–15 & 15-60 & 60–100 & 100–550 \\ \hline Brazilian Propolis & 2 & 23 & 7 & 3 \\ Mexican Propolis & 8 & 9 & 2 & 3 \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 1: Number of occurrences of inhibitory concentrations divided in intervals.  
the same methodology as the MIC frequency graph, except that it was not divided by the type of extract.  
Classification of propolis (color, botanical sources, and chemical composition), extraction methods, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoan activity, veterinary application, and propolis-lis contamination were discussed based on tables assembled or discussed directly in the text, based on information obtained from the articles analyzed.