A liquid chromatographic time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometric method for the comparative study of propolis aqueous and cyclodextrin extracts employing target and suspect screening

What if the secret to unlocking propolis's health benefits lies not in harsh chemicals, but in plain water and a sugar derivative? A new study reveals how green solvents can extract these powerful compounds—and what they found might surprise you.

Propolis, the 'bee glue' that seals hives, is a treasure trove of bioactive phenolics. But extracting them often relies on organic solvents that are anything but green. Researchers at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki set out to change that, using water and an aqueous β-cyclodextrin solution as eco-friendly alternatives. They developed a sensitive LC-QTOF-MS/MS method to screen both targeted and unknown compounds in the extracts. The method proved reliable, with excellent linearity, low detection limits, and precision under 6.8% RSD. Matrix effects were minimal, below 19.2%, ensuring accurate quantification. In the green extracts, they identified 16 target compounds and tentatively identified 24 suspects. Interestingly, the methanolic extract—the traditional solvent—still yielded the highest concentrations of phenolics. But here's the twist: suspect screening revealed that poplar-type propolis markers were present in all three extracts, suggesting that green solvents can indeed recover key bioactive compounds. This highlights their potential as sustainable alternatives for propolis extraction, without sacrificing the chemical richness that makes this bee product so valuable.

Key Points

• Green solvents (water, β-cyclodextrin) extract propolis phenolics effectively.
• LC-QTOF-MS/MS method validated with high linearity and precision.
• Poplar-type markers found in all extracts, showing green extraction potential.