Phytochemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Propolis Ethanolic Extract from Tetragonula Bee

Objective: This research aimed to determine the phytochemical composition and the antioxidant properties in vitro of three types propolis collected from the region of South Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. Methods: Samples from three types of propolis: smooth, rough and mix were extracted with 96% ethanol. The propolis ethanolic extracts (PEE) was dried and studied their antioxidant properties by using FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) and DPPH radical scavenging assays. Total phenolic compounds were quantified by Folin-Ciocalteu, and total flavonoid contents were also quantitatively determined by the AlCl₃ colorimetric method with a microplate reader. The chemical compounds were identified by an ultraperformance liquid chromatography TOF mass spectrometer (UPLC-TOF-MS) using the MS mode. Results: The sequence of potential antioxidant activity of PEE is smooth propolis > mix propolis > rough propolis. Which showed by EC₅₀ value with DPPH assays are 25.54; 31.66; and 69.96 μg/mL, respectively and also showed by EC₅₀ value with FRAP assays consecutively were 26.41; 32.10; and 34.62 μg/mL.Smooth propolis has the lowest EC₅₀ value of all the types of propolis examined, contains total flavonoid content 791.06+13.06 mg QE/g extract and total phenolics content 426.91+61.08 mg GAE.g^-1 extract. Chemical component identified by UPLC-TOF-MS using the MS^E mode were (-)-Sesamin C₂₀H₁₈O₆; Curcumin C₂₁H₂₀O₆; 8-epi- Helenalin C₁₅H₁₈O₄; and Kushenol F C₂₅H₂₈O₆. Conclusion: Smooth propolis which taken from inside the nest was the most potent antioxidant among of all the types of examined propolis. The antioxidant activity was influenced by the phenolic content of Propolis.