Ariane Pinheiro Cruz Bergamini, Antônio Domingos de Sousa Júnior, Flavia Vitorino de Araújo Porto, Iana Soares Pessoa, Thiago Antonio de Sousa Cutrim, Victor Paulo Mesquita Aragão, Victor da Rocha Fonseca, Wanderson Romão, Denise Coutinho Endringer, Rodrigo Scherer, Marcio Fronza
Geopropolis, a complex material produced by stingless bees from plant resins and soil components, represents a chemically diverse and underexplored source of natural products. This study investigated the chemical composition and biological activities of geopropolis from four Melipona species collected in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest during the dry and rainy seasons. Hydroalcoholic extracts were quantified for total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, and characterized by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI(-)-FT-ICR MS), allowing the tentative assignment of 56 compounds, mainly phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays, anti-inflammatory activity by measuring nitric oxide, superoxide anion, and TNF-α production in LPS-stimulated macrophages, and antifungal activity against selected pathogenic strains. The extracts exhibited significant interspecific variation in phenolic composition and antioxidant activity (p < 0.05), with Melipona bicolor showing the highest antioxidant capacity, reflected by the lowest DPPH and ABTS IC50 values. Geopropolis extracts also significantly reduced nitric oxide, superoxide anion, and TNF-α production (p < 0.05) and displayed selective antifungal activity. Seasonal variation influenced metabolite composition and biological activities, providing new insights into the chemical diversity and biological potential of geopropolis from native Atlantic Forest stingless bees.