Protective effects of standardized propolis extract (EEP BBbK100) against oxidative stress, inflammation and periodontal pathogens

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by microbial dysbiosis, oxidative stress and host immune dysregulation, often leading to progressive periodontal tissue destruction.Propolis is a natural bee-derived resin with recognized antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.However, the chemical variability of propolis across different geographical origins limits its reproducibility and clinical use.The present study investigated the effects of ethanol-extracted propolis (EEP) BBbK100, a standardized mixture of Brazilian green, Brazilian brown and Korean propolis adjusted to 1% total flavonoids.High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to determine its chemical composition.The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLFs) exposed to oxidative stress [hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )] or inflammatory stimulation [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)].Antibacterial activity was assessed against six key periodontal pathogens.Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of BBbK100 was tested in an LPS-induced periodontitis rat model by analyzing gingival gene expression, plasma antioxidant enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines.HPLC profiling revealed that BBbK100 contained bioactive flavonoids and phenolic compounds, including artepillin C, caffeic acid phenethyl ester and pinocembrin.In vitro, BBbK100 protected HPLFs against H 2 O 2 -induced cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner, restored antioxidant enzyme expression and attenuated LPS-induced IL-6 expression.BBbK100 also inhibited the planktonic growth of six periodontal pathogens.In vivo, oral administration of BBbK100 increased the gingival expression of antioxidant enzyme genes, reduced gingival IL-6 expression and partially restored plasma superoxide dismutase activity and IL-6 levels in periodontitis rats.The present findings suggest that BBbK100, a standardized ethanol extract of propolis, exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in cellular and animal models of periodontitis and inhibits the planktonic growth of periodontal pathogens.By combining propolis from multiple origins with a defined total flavonoid content, BBbK100 may help reduce the compositional variability of raw propolis and represents a potential natural therapeutic candidate for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.