Propolis, subjected to experiment in conditions of microgravity aboard the International Space Station (ISS), demonstrated a more powerful effect against some gram -negative bacteria than antibiotics. This conclusion was reached by students from the city of Mush, who prepared the study under the leadership of their teacher.
The Project “Antibacterial Action of Propolis”, developed by Zeynep Nehir Chamlydzha, Dilshah Imran Avja and Baver Bedirkhan Bingel – students of the scientific and artistic center (Bi̇lsem) in Musha – under the leadership of the teacher Birsen Gechcher, originally participated in the final of the national competition of scientific projects for schoolchildren, organized tübi̇tak.
Later, the work was among the 13 scientific experiments performed by the first Turkish astronaut Alper Goseravja during its flight to the ISS from January 19 to February 9, 2024.
According to Gechcher, the students experienced pride in learning that their study would go into space. “Our goal was to understand whether propolis is antibacterial activity in the conditions of microgravity. And really – we recorded that propolis acts on some bacteria even more than antibiotics,” she said.
The experiment was conducted with control and experimental groups, including antibiotics as a standard. The results obtained both on Earth and in space showed that propolis can have therapeutic potential. The project report was sent to the Turkish Space Agency, and detailed scientific data will be later published by Tübi̇tak.
“The bacteria used in the experiment on the ISS were preserved and will subsequently become an object of deeper laboratory research,” said Gechcher.
She also emphasized the importance of the project in the medical context: “If we better find out the bacterial profile at the station, this will help to develop methods of treatment for astronauts more easily. Participation in such a project has become not only a source of knowledge for my students, but also a reason for pride. They gained confidence and developed scientific thinking.”
The experiment with Propolis was one of the first examples when a school project from the outback of Turkey was the opportunity to test in space.