The effect of propolis supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in women with rheumatoid arthritis: A double‐blind, placebo, controlled randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Propolis has gained popularity in recent years because of its beneficial properties, which make it a possible preventative and therapeutic agent as well as a valuable food and cosmetic ingredient. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of propolis supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in women with rheumatoid arthritis. This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial was performed among 48 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Subjects were randomly assigned to placebo and intervention groups, supplemented with 1000 mg/day of propolis for 12 weeks. Cardiovascular risk factors including, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP‐1), Nitric oxide, blood pressure, and lipid profile were assessed pre‐and post‐intervention. The atherogenic index of plasma value, as well as total cholesterol/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), triglyceride/HDL‐C, and non‐HDL‐C/HDL‐C ratios, were significantly reduced in the intervention group, compared with the placebo group post‐intervention (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was a significant reduction in the serum level of hs‐CRP in the intervention group when compared with the placebo group (p = 0.001). Furthermore, propolis supplementation could marginally reduce MCP‐1 (p = 0.051). These data indicate that propolis supplementation may be a promising treatment strategy for cardiovascular complications among rheumatoid arthritis patients.