Yungas propolis in the scavenging of vitamin B2-photogenerated ROS

[Display omitted] •Propolis from Trancas (ProTr) has a high capacity to remove reactive oxygen species (ROS).•ProTr has an antioxidant action akin to that of the well-known antioxidant Trolox.•Kinetic study on the interactions of Riboflavin (Rf) and Rose Bengal (RB)-photogenerated ROS with propolis.•ProTr presents a viable natural substitute for synthetic antioxidants in the fight against oxidative stress.•ProTr degradation occurs through excited states of Rf and ROS photogenerated. This study focused on the scavenging action and antioxidant activity of propolis from Trancas (ProTr) as a promoter and scavenger of Riboflavin (Rf)-photogenerated reactive oxygen species (ROS), widely used in traditional medicine as an antioxidant. A thorough examination of the antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract (EE) was made possible by a kinetic and mechanistic study of the total polyphenol contents in the extract using stationary photolysis and time-resolved photochemical methods. Under aerobic visible-light-irradiation conditions, with Rf as the only light-absorber molecule, a complex frame of competitive interactions takes place, with the triplet excited states of Rf being quenched by ProTr. Rf triplet excited states can interact with ProTr or produce singlet oxygen and superoxide radical anions. The results indicated ProTr to be an efficient ROS scavenger. The antioxidant behavior of ProTr is similar to that of Trolox, a well-known antioxidant. Propolis is slightly photodegraded by interaction with the mentioned ROS, highlighting the crucial role of ProTr and its potential in mitigating oxidative stress-induced damage in biological systems. These findings suggest that ProTr could be a promising natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants for combating oxidative stress.