EPP-AF®, the standardized propolis extract that is an assurance of quality, effectiveness and safety.

Is every propolis extract the same? Perhaps this will surprise you, but the answer is “no”.

This is because there are many variables that influence the propolis’ type and quality, such as climate, flora, variety of bees, in addition to the different processes used to produce a propolis extract.

EPP-AF® is different! Innovative and exclusive, Apis Flora’s standardized propolis extract is the only propolis-based product in the market that is chemically and biologically characterized, and with established pre-clinical and clinical efficacy and safety, which ensures excellence in terms of natural product.

What is the utility of a standardized propolis extract?


A standardized extract is assurance of always containing the right level of propolis bioactive in every produced batch. Since propolis contains over 300 compounds, the standardized extract ensures the necessary quantities of the bioactive you need to enjoy the benefits of propolis for your health.

Many scientific researches have been, and currently are carried out with propolis, presenting many results related to efficacy and safety; however, each one of them was executed using a different propolis type, or prepared in a different manner. Thus, it is not always possible to know if we will have the same research results with the propolis extract sold in the market.

Hence the great importance of having a “special formula” for the propolis extract, with a reproducible composition and with a standardized productive process. Once this technology was achieved, our team has studied integrally, from every perspective, about its safety and efficacy, not only on experimental models, but also through clinical researches carried out at renowned Brazilian institutions and with eminent researchers.

How is EPP-AF® Propolis Extract made?

Did you know that only a few people in the world has performed clinical studies with propolis?

Our research and innovation center, in partnership with different Brazilian universities, such as USP, UNESP and UNICAMP, among others, has developed the Standardized Propolis Extract named EPP-AF®. And, with this extract, Apis Flora has already carried out more than 5 clinical studies focused on safety and effectiveness.

Our researches resulted in the deposit of patent request by the National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI No PI0405483-0) on February 1, 2005.

The EPP-AF® production follows an innovative technology and an excellence quality standard, which ensures reproducibility, security, and effectiveness of the entire line of Apis Flora’s propolis-based products, batch to batch, completely different from everything that already exists in this market segment. It means that the chemical characteristics of the bioactive present in the end product are always the same, as well as its biological properties, which provides this product with unmatched quality and excellence.

EPP-AF® is a raw material that is essentially obtained by an exclusive formulation and extraction process. From this standardized extract, many other presentation forms were later developed, and there’s a recommendation of better application for each one of them. In other words, for each product, objective or administration manner, Apis Flora has the most adequate EPP-AF® version.

How was EPP-AF® technology achieved?

During a few years of research, the Apis Flora research team has chemically and biologically mapped a great share of the propolis obtained all over Brazil. That was made after an intense work of development and validation of analytical methods that could detect and quantify the active substances present in propolis, a real propolis X-Ray.

Just so you have an idea, more than 300 active substance of propolis have been discovered! Impressive, isn’t it?

Just imagine how much time and work has been devoted to unveil propolis.

In addition to this chemical mapping of hundreds of samples from all over Brazil, our group has also selected these samples through the comparison of their biological activities, such as the antimicrobial and the anti-inflammatory activity. Which means that our team has developed a special EPP-AF® formula considering chemical markers and results of propolis biological activities from all over Brazil, and then it was possible to elaborate the composition of the secret formula of our EPP-AF® Standardized Propolis Extract.

But, how can Apis Flora always make the same reproducible formula if propolis from each region is different than the other?

This is a great question! Apis Flora takes its quality standard very serious. Therefore, the raw materials that are received at the company are analyzed for every chemical and biological parameter. Thus, every raw material that comes in receives an “ID”, which contains its complete blueprint, and this information is sent to a database. The system uses this information to seek for the right amounts and batches to compose the formulation of the future batch, in a way that the chemical and biological reproducibility requirements are completely met.

Just so you have an idea, between the arrival of the raw propolis from the beehive, and the clearance of the product for sale, more than 100 lab analysis are made.

Inside the EPP-AF® history

To reach the EPP-AF® propolis extract perfection, it has been a long road. Explore it:

1985

  • Apis Flora produces the first propolis extract in Brazil.

1990

  • Conclusion of the studies about the different propolis of Brazil.

1995

  • First academic partnership between Apis Flora and Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

1999

  • Apis Flora, in partnership with Universidade de São Paulo (USP) promotes the I Brazilian Symposium about Propolis and Apitherapics.

2000

  • Apis Flora’s first scientific article is published: Anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer and gastric activity and sub chronic toxicity of propolis ethanolic extract”.

2001

  • With Apis Flora’s assistance, the Rules of Propolis Identity and Quality are published by the Ministry of Agriculture.

2005

  • EPP-AF® is born! “Process to obtain the standardized propolis extract, extract thus obtained, its formulations, products and uses.” Patent deposit under No PI0405483-0 published in the Industrial Property Journal No 1778 from February 1, 2005.

2007

  • The first concluded clinical research with the EPP-AF® Propolis Extract: “Clinical research with thermo-reversible gel containing standardized propolis extract (EPP-AF®) to reduce the cicatrization period of lesions in burn patients.”

2009

  • Second EPP-AF® patent deposited: “Thermo-reversible gel of sustained liberation containing standardized propolis extract (EPP-AF®) and respective manufacturing process, with antiseptic and cicatrizing activity for the treatment of burns, skin lesions, and others.” Patent deposit under No PI 0806114-9 published in the Industrial Property Journal No 2017 from September 1, 2009.

2011

  • Third EPP-AF® patent: “Bio curative of sustained liberation obtained from bio cellulose and standardized propolis extract (EPP-AF®), as well as its obtaining process and therapeutic applications”. Patent deposit under temporary No 018110000672, from December 1, 2011.

2013

  • Clinical research for the clinical safety and anti-inflammatory assessment of the Propolis Extract EPP-AF®.

2015

  • Fourth EPP-AF® patent deposited: “Process to obtain matrix microparticles of standardized propolis extract (EPP-AF®), formulations and its uses”. Patent deposit under No BR 1020150330391, from December 30, 2015.

2017

  • Clinical research with EPP-AF® Propolis Extract for the demonstration of antiproteinuric effect in chronic liver disease.

2019

  • Clinical research with the use of EPP-AF® Propolis Extract for treatment of vaginal candidiasis.

And our researches continue and will continue without interruption,
because scientific researches are part of Apis Flora’s DNA.