PLT Health is introducing an ingredient to its immune health portfolio. Promunel Ultra Performance Propolis, manufactured by B Natural offers a new level of sophistication and efficacy for an ingredient that has been used to support human health for over 5,000 years, the company says.
Promunel’s advantages include quality and consistency of raw materials and B Natural’s patented multi-dynamic extraction (MED) technology. This technology produces an ingredient standardised to six antimicrobially bioactive polyphenols while allowing for ease of formulation into supplements and functional foods.
Promunel has been the subject of a clinical trial studying its effect on upper respiratory tract health. The standardisation of Promunel’s bioactive constituents means that its dose is consistent, and its health benefits are reproducible. B Natural’s commitment to bee colony protection in its sourcing operations includes contracts with beekeepers to protect bee health and maintain environments in which they can thrive.
With Promunel, we have taken propolis as a starting point and created an ingredient that, because of standardisation, can be reproducibly studied in a clinical setting
Sid Hulse, Vice President of Product Development at PLT Health Solutions, said: “In a beehive, more than 300 active compounds contained in propolis – also known as ‘bee glue’ – help create an aseptic environment to preserve the health of the colony against a range of potential pathogens. Despite having 50,000 inhabitants, a humidity of 90%, and an internal temperature of nearly 100° F, the beehive is one of the most sterile environments in nature. Propolis functions as the hive’s immune system,” he said. “With Promunel, we have taken propolis as a starting point and created an ingredient that, because of standardisation, can be reproducibly studied in a clinical setting; and because of its form, can be incorporated into a wide range of consumer health products.” Promunel can be formulated in delivery systems including sprays, lozenges, softgels, tablets, capsules, gummies, chews and stick packs.
The composition of commodity propolis varies dramatically based on geographic region, local flora, season of the year and bee variety. This alone makes its use in health-promoting applications problematic due to lack of consistency. Promunel propolis is sourced from a limited number of carefully screened beekeeping operations located primarily along the 45th Parallel above and below the Equator in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
The B Natural MED process involves purification of the raw material, removal of waxes and resins, extraction, and concentration to create a base ingredient that contains up to 50% polyphenols. This process maximises and is standardised on the six most bioactive polyphenols in propolis: chrysin, galangin, pinocembrin, apigenin, pinobanksin, and quercetin.
The entire approach reduces the natural variability of propolis while maintaining the integral pattern of polyphenols. Promunel delivers a consistent dosage of active compounds in an ingredient that offers consistent efficacy and customer experience. It also creates a material that, because of reduction in wax-induced viscosity, is easier to formulate.
Promunel is also distinguished from other propolis because it has been clinically studied. “Although many people use propolis supplements to support immune function, clinical trials of oral propolis for this purpose have been lacking. Promunel changes that landscape,” said Jeremy Appleton, ND, Director of Medical & Scientific Affairs at PLT. “Propolis has been used medicinally since antiquity, and numerous mechanisms of action are well established in the literature, particularly regarding the individual polyphenols to which Promunel is standardised. But at PLT, we want to see evidence of efficacy in the people who are using the exact article of commerce, preferably published in a reputable, peer-reviewed medical journal. Promunel has that. You won’t find another propolis on the market with double-blind clinical research validating its efficacy for upper respiratory tract health. A double-blind clinical trial, recently published in the prestigious journal Phytomedicine, showed that PROMUNEL cut two days off recovery time,” he added[i]
According to Hulse, the commitment of the B Natural company to protecting and nurturing the world’s honeybee population is one of the most attractive features of Promunel. “In a world where wild bees are disappearing at alarming rates, it seems as if beekeeping may be their only hope of survival. B Natural engages their beekeeper suppliers to go the extra mile to defend and protect their colonies – never oversourcing and providing healthy environments, free of pesticides and other contaminants. We call it a ‘contract’ with the bees and hope for a win-win situation,” he said.
