Propolis while also collecting water and tree resin necessary for the production of propolis. The chemical composition and nature of propolis depend on environmental conditions and harvested resources. For centuries, beekeepers assumed that bees sealed the beehive with propolis to protect the colony from the elements, such as rain and cold winter drafts. However, 20th century research revealed that bees not only survive, but also thrive, with increased ventilation during the winter months throughout most temperate regions of the world. Propolis properties may include: The composition of propolis varies from hive to hive, from district to district, and from season to
Propolis the usual sources are more difficult to obtain. The properties of the propolis depend on the exact sources used by each individual hive; therefore any potential medicinal properties that may be present in one hive's propolis may be absent from another's, or from another sample in the same hive. Propolis has been used in traditional medicine. Propolis is "possibly effective" for treating cold sores, genital herpes, and post-surgery mouth pain, but there is "insufficient evidence" to rate the effectiveness of propolis in treating these or other conditions. Propolis is under preliminary research for the potential development of new drugs associated