The therapeutic properties of propolis have been known since antiquity, where it was also referred to as "black wax." It was used as a medicine by peoples who flourished along the shores of the Mediterranean, who had discovered its anti-inflammatory action. Hippocrates recommended it for the application on ulcers and burns. Roman soldiers always carried it in their luggage during their campaigns, while the Egyptians used it for embalming the dead. Today, propolis is widely used as a medicine, either as a pure preparation or as an ingredient in other formulations.