The propolis, honey bee hive product, is a folk medicine for treating various ailments. Many important pharmaceutical properties have been ascribed to propolis, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunormodulatory and carcinostatic activities. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ethanol extracted propolis(EEP) on the tumorigenesis and the growth of splenocytes and macrophages in ICR mice. Topical application of 0.2, 2 or mg/ml of EEP on the back of each mice 30 minutes before the application of 7, 12-dimethylbenz (a)anthracene(DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate(TPA) inhibited the number of tumors per mouse by 61, 75 or 100%, respectively, and tumor size per mouse was decreased by 37, 75 or 100%, respectively. In 3-methylcholanthrene induced tumorigenesis, topical application of same doses of EEP inhibited the number of tumors per mouse by 19, 60 or 90%, and the tumor size per mouse by 58, 85 or 98%, respectively. Oral administration of mice with EEP at 0.2mg or more per day per mouse for 28days increased pulmonary metastases of the B16F10 melanoma cells in ICR mice by 240%, EEP of 3.75ug/ml or more inhibited the growth of ICR mouse spleen cells significantly(p<0.05), but EEP 0.94ug/ml or less did not affects the growth of the spleen cells in vitro. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester(CAPE), which is derived from the propolis, of 0.94ug/ml or less increased the growth of spleen cells, but at the concentations of 3.75ug/ml or more, decreased the growth of spleen cells. EEP of 3.75-15ug/ml increased the growth of mouse peritoneal macrophages, but at the concentration of 60ug/ml, decreased the growth of the macrophages significantly(p<0.01). And also, CAPE of 0.94ug/ml or less did not affects the growth of the macrophages, but at the concentrations of 3.75ug/ml or more, decreased the growth of the macrophages significantly(p<0.01). DDP or CAPE inhibited the nitric oxide production of mouse peritoneal macrophages in concentration-dependent manner regardless of the number of the macrophages in vitro. These results suggest the possibility that the EEP or CAPE might suppress the immune function by the inhibition of growth and activity of spleen cells and macrophages.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Bees ; Carcinogenesis* ; Ethanol ; Honey ; Macrophages* ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; Medicine, Traditional ; Melanoma ; Methylcholanthrene ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nitric Oxide ; Propolis* ; Spleen

The propolis, honey bee hive product, is a folk medicine for treating various ailrnents and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an extract of propolis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ethanol extracted propolis (EEP) or CAPE on the tumorigenesis, pulmonary metastases, and proliferation and activity of splenocytes and macrophages in ICR mice. EEP at 0.2, 2 or 20mg/ml applied topically on the back of each mice 30 minutes before application of 7,12-dimethylbenz (a)anthracene and 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate inhibited the number of tumors per mouse by 61, 75 or 100%, respectively. ...continue...
Animals ; Bees ; Carcinogenesis* ; Ethanol ; Honey ; Macrophages* ; Medicine, Traditional ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Propolis*

BACKGROUND: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) achieves higher cure rates for cutaneous squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas than any other therapeutic modality. For a unifocal tumor, a 100% cure rate after MMS should theoretically be possible, however for primary basal cell carcinoma, 98-99% 5-year disease-free rates have been achieved. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the pitfalls in microscopic Interpretation of frozen sections in Mohs micrographic surgery for basal cell carcinoma which decrease the cure rate after surgery. METHODS: From March 1991 to February 1998, fifty-nine patients were diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma at our department. All the tumors were removed with Mohs micrographic surgery and frozen section specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The microscopic evaluation was done by Mohs surgeon and pathologist. RESULTS: We can summarize the matters that demand special attention during microscopic Interpretation of frozen sections in Mohs surgery as two groups. First, as false negative interpretation, there are 1) small nests of tumor scattered within areas of heavy inflammation 2) tumor present along the hair follicle, 3) tumor present along a cut edge, 4) empty space in a tissue section, 5) hair follicle-like structure of the tumor, 6) gland-like structure of the tumor, and 7) infiltrative BCC-like inflammatory cells. Second, as a false positive interpretation, there are 1) foreign body reactions or scar containing trapped pilosebaceous structures, 2) horizontal and tangential cuts through the pilosebaceous apparatus, 3) some epidermal neoplasms including solar lentigines, seborrheic keratoses, and acantholytic actinic keratoses, and 4) contamination of the tumor tissue. CONCLUSION: With careful attention to the examples which can affect the interpretation as mentioned above, it may be possible to detect complete removal of tumor mass and achieve higher cure rate. We could achieve a 100% of cure rate for primary basal cell carcinoma and 95 % of cure rate for recurrent basal cell carcinoma after Mohs Micrographic surgery in our hospital from March 1991 to February 1998.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Cicatrix ; Foreign Bodies ; Frozen Sections ; Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Lentigo ; Mohs Surgery*