Brazilian Green Propolis Extract (EPP-AF) as an Adjunct Treatment for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients (BeeCovid2)

Summary

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) promotes challenging immune and inflammatory phenomena. Though various therapeutic possibilities have been tested against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the most adequate treatment has not yet been established. Among candidate adjunct treatment options, propolis, produced by honey bees from bioactive plant exudates, has shown potential against viral targets and has demonstrated immunoregulatory properties.

Timeline

Start

2021-04-12

Primary completion

2021-07-30

Completion

2021-07-30

Publications

• Background Silveira MAD, Capcha JMC, Sanches TR, de Sousa Moreira R, Garnica MS, Shimizu MH, Berretta A, Teles F, Noronha IL, Andrade L. Green propolis extract attenuates acute kidney injury and lung injury in a rat model of sepsis. Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 15;11(1):5925. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85124-6.
• Background Silveira MAD, Teles F, Berretta AA, Sanches TR, Rodrigues CE, Seguro AC, Andrade L. Effects of Brazilian green propolis on proteinuria and renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Nephrol. 2019 Apr 25;20(1):140. doi: 10.1186/s12882-019-1337-7.
• Background MAD Silveira, D De Jong, AA Berretta, et.al. Efficacy of propolis as an adjunct treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. MedRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.08.20248932.
• Background Berretta AA, Silveira MAD, Condor Capcha JM, De Jong D. Propolis and its potential against SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms and COVID-19 disease: Running title: Propolis against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Nov;131:110622. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110622. Epub 2020 Aug 17.
• Background Maruta H, He H. PAK1-blockers: Potential Therapeutics against COVID-19. Med Drug Discov. 2020 Jun;6:100039. doi: 10.1016/j.medidd.2020.100039. Epub 2020 Apr 19.
• Background Hoffmann M, Kleine-Weber H, Schroeder S, Kruger N, Herrler T, Erichsen S, Schiergens TS, Herrler G, Wu NH, Nitsche A, Muller MA, Drosten C, Pohlmann S. SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and Is Blocked by a Clinically Proven Protease Inhibitor. Cell. 2020 Apr 16;181(2):271-280.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.052. Epub 2020 Mar 5.
• Background Machado JL, Assuncao AK, da Silva MC, Dos Reis AS, Costa GC, Arruda Dde S, Rocha BA, Vaz MM, Paes AM, Guerra RN, Berretta AA, do Nascimento FR. Brazilian green propolis: anti-inflammatory property by an immunomodulatory activity. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:157652. doi: 10.1155/2012/157652. Epub 2012 Dec 19.
• Background Shimizu T, Hino A, Tsutsumi A, Park YK, Watanabe W, Kurokawa M. Anti-influenza virus activity of propolis in vitro and its efficacy against influenza infection in mice. Antivir Chem Chemother. 2008;19(1):7-13. doi: 10.1177/095632020801900102.
• Background Ito J, Chang FR, Wang HK, Park YK, Ikegaki M, Kilgore N, Lee KH. Anti-AIDS agents. 48.(1) Anti-HIV activity of moronic acid derivatives and the new melliferone-related triterpenoid isolated from Brazilian propolis. J Nat Prod. 2001 Oct;64(10):1278-81. doi: 10.1021/np010211x.
• Background Berretta AA, Nascimento AP, Bueno PC, Vaz MM, Marchetti JM. Propolis standardized extract (EPP-AF(R)), an innovative chemically and biologically reproducible pharmaceutical compound for treating wounds. Int J Biol Sci. 2012;8(4):512-21. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.3641. Epub 2012 Mar 21.
• Silveira MAD, Menezes MA, de Souza SP, Galvao EBDS, Berretta AA, Caldas J, Teixeira MB, Gomes MMD, Damiani LP, Bahiense BA, Cabral JB, De Oliveira CWLM, Mascarenhas TR, Pinheiro PCG, Alves MS, de Melo RMV, Leite FM, Nonaka CKV, Souza BSF, Baptista NU, Teles F, da Guarda SF, Mendes AVA, Passos RDH. Standardized Brazilian green propolis extract (EPP-AF(R)) in COVID-19 outcomes: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2023 Oct 27;13(1):18405. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-43764-w.
• Silveira MAD, de Souza SP, Dos Santos Galvao EB, Teixeira MB, Gomes MMD, Damiani LP, Bahiense BA, Cabral JB, De Oliveira CWLM, Mascarenhas TR, Pinheiro PCG, Alves MS, de Melo RMV, Berretta AA, Leite FM, Nonaka CKV, de Freitas Souza BS, Mendes AVA, da Guarda SF, da Hora Passos R. The use of standardized Brazilian green propolis extract (EPP-AF) as an adjunct treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients (BeeCovid2): a structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2022 Apr 4;23(1):255. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06176-1.

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Indications