Phenolic Acid and Flavonoid Composition of Malaysian Honeys

Profile of stingless bee honey and microbiota produced in West Sumatra, Indonesia, by several species (Apidae, Meliponinae)

Background and Aim

Stingless bees are generally found in tropical countries, including Indonesia. In West Sumatra, stingless bees are known as Galo-galo, consist of several species with different characteristics; however, the properties of honey produced by stingless bees have not yet been explored. This study aimed to determine the physicochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities as well as the microbiota profile of stingless bee honey from the bee species Heterotrigona itama, Geniotrigona thoracica, Tetrigona melanoleuca, and Tetrigona binghami that are intensively developed in West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Materials and Methods

Honey produced by the stingless bee species H. itama, G. thoracica, T. melanoleuca, and T. binghami originating in West Sumatra was examined in the present study. The physicochemical properties (Association of Official Analytical Chemists), antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl technique), total phenols (Folin-Ciocalteu method), antimicrobial activity (Agar-Well diffusion test), total lactic acid bacteria, and microbiota diversity were measured in stingless bee honey samples.

Results

Stingless bee species significantly affected the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, antimicrobial activity, and total lactic acid bacteria (p = 0.05), except for the crude fiber content. The carbohydrate profiles of honey produced by H. itama and T. binghami were dominated by monosaccharides, whereas those of honey from T. melanoleuca and G. thoracica were dominated by disaccharides. In terms of antioxidant activity (half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] value), there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between honey from H. itama, T. melanoleuca, and T. binghami, but there were significant differences (p > 0.05) between honey from G. thoracica. The honey of G. thoracica and T. melanoleuca had the highest total phenolic content (65.65 ± 14.00 and 69.78 ± 8.06, respectively). In addition, honey from the four stingless bee species showed antimicrobial activity against the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. From the principal co-ordinate analysis (PCoA) results, it can be concluded that the microbiota profiles of the four stingless bee honey samples differed.

Conclusion

The results showed that honey from H. itama, G. thoracica, T. melanoleuca, and T. binghami has different physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, and microbiota diversity. By knowing the content of this stingless bee honey, the results of this study can be used as information that this stingless bee honey has the potential as a functional food that is beneficial for health.

A Comprehensive Survey of Phenolic Constituents Reported in Monofloral Honeys around the Globe

The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the large variety of phenolic compounds that have to date been identified in a wide range of monofloral honeys found globally. The collated information is structured along several themes, including the botanical family and genus of the monofloral honeys for which phenolic constituents have been reported, the chemical classes the phenolic compounds can be attributed to, and the analytical method employed in compound determination as well as countries with a particular research focus on phenolic honey constituents. This review covers 130 research papers that detail the phenolic constituents of a total of 556 monofloral honeys. Based on the findings of this review, it can be concluded that most of these honeys belong to the Myrtaceae and Fabaceae families and that Robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia, Fabaceae), Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium, Myrtaceae), and Chestnut (Castanea sp., Fagaceae) honeys are to date the most studied honeys for phenolic compound determination. China, Italy, and Turkey are the major honey phenolic research hubs. To date, 161 individual phenolic compounds belonging to five major compound groups have been reported, with caffeic acid, gallic acid, ferulic acid and quercetin being the most widely reported among them. HPLC with photodiode array detection appears to be the most popular method for chemical structure identification.

The Immunomodulatory Effects of Honey and Associated Flavonoids in Cancer

Honey has exerted a high impact in the field of alternative medicine over many centuries. In addition to its wound healing, anti-microbial and antioxidant properties, several lines of evidence have highlighted the efficiency of honey and associated bioactive constituents as anti-tumor agents against a range of cancer types. Mechanistically, honey was shown to inhibit cancer cell growth through its pro-apoptotic, anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic effects. However, the potential of honey to regulate anti-tumor immune responses is relatively unexplored. A small number of in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the ability of honey to modulate the immune system by inducing immunostimulatory as well as anti-inflammatory effects. In the present review, we summarize the findings from different studies that aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory properties of honey and its flavonoid components in relation to cancer. While these studies provide promising data, additional research is needed to further elucidate the immunomodulatory properties of honey, and to enable its utilization as an adjuvant therapy in cancer.

Therapeutic and preventive properties of honey and its bioactive compounds in cancer: an evidence-based review

Despite the much improved therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment that have been developed over the past 50 years, cancer remains a major cause of mortality globally. Considerable epidemiological and experimental evidence has demonstrated an association between ingestion of food and nutrients with either an increased risk for cancer or its prevention. There is rising interest in exploring agents derived from natural products for chemoprevention or for therapeutic purposes. Honey is rich in nutritional and non-nutritional bioactive compounds, as well as in natural antioxidants, and its potential beneficial function in human health is becoming more evident. A large number of studies have addressed the anti-cancer effects of different types of honey and their phenolic compounds using in vitro and in vivo cancer models. The reported findings affirm that honey is an agent able to modulate oxidative stress and has anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory and anti-metastatic properties. However, despite its reported anti-cancer activities, very few clinical studies have been undertaken. In the present review, we summarise the findings from different experimental approaches, including in vitro cell cultures, preclinical animal models and clinical studies, and provide an overview of the bioactive profile and bioavailability of the most commonly studied honey types, with special emphasis on the chemopreventive and therapeutic properties of honey and its major phenolic compounds in cancer. The implications of these findings as well as the future prospects of utilising honey to fight cancer will be discussed.

Melissopalynological, physicochemical and antioxidant properties of honey from West Coast of Malaysia

Stingless bees are native to tropical region and produce honey which are high in moisture content. Compared to honey from honeybees, there are limited studies on honey derived from stingless bees. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and antioxidant activities of stingless bee honey. Fifteen types of honey were collected from six states in West Coast of Malaysia and pollen analyses were carried out. Four types of unifloral honey samples produced by stingless bees were selected to determine their physicochemical and antioxidant activities including total phenolic, total flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents. Melissopalynological study of 15 honey samples collected from different states showed presence of both unifloral and multifloral origins. Honey samples collected from Apis mellifera (honeybee) combs had lower number of total pollen compared to samples collected from Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica (stingless bees). Jambul Merak honey contains the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents with greatest color intensity and has the highest antioxidant potential. This study highlights the chemical composition and biological activity of honey from stingless bees which may increase its commercial value or to be utilised as potential functional food ingredient.

Dose-Response Effect of Tualang Honey on Postprandial Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress in Female Athletes: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES

Tualang honey (TH) contains antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, phenolic acids, and flavonoids that may be protective against oxidative stress of exercise. The aim of this study was to examine the postprandial antioxidant activity and oxidative stress after ingestion of high and low dosages of TH in female athletes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty female athletes (aged 21.3 [2.1] years; body weight [BW] 54.1 [5.7] kg) were randomly assigned into two groups and consumed either 1.5 g/kg BW TH (high honey; HH; n = 10) or 0.75 g/kg BW TH (low honey; LH; n = 10). Blood sample was collected at fasting and at 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 h after TH consumption. Plasma was analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP]), and oxidative stress biomarkers (malondialdehyde [MDA] and reactive oxygen species [ROS]).

RESULTS

The 3-h area under the curve (AUC) for MDA was significantly lower in the LH group compared with HH group, suggesting less oxidative stress in the LH group. However, the AUCs for TPC, FRAP, and ROS were not affected by the dosages. The concentrations of TPC and FRAP increased from baseline to 2 and 1 h after TH consumption, respectively, and concentrations returned toward baseline at 3 h in both LH and HH groups. MDA concentration significantly decreased (p < 0.05) from baseline to 2 h and significantly increased from 2 to 3 h in the HH group. Meanwhile, ROS levels increased significantly from 0.5 to 3 h in the HH group. The LH group showed similar trends as the HH group for MDA and ROS; however, this was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The consumption of high and low doses of TH demonstrated a comparable response in increasing antioxidant activity and suppressing oxidative stress in female athletes. The time-course effect of TH that provides optimal antioxidant activity and oxidative stress protection was between 1 and 2 h after its consumption.

Honey and Cancer: Current Status and Future Directions

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and poses a challenge to treatment. With overwhelming evidence of the role played by diet and lifestyle in cancer risk and prevention, there is a growing interest into the search for chemopreventative or chemotherapeutic agents derived from natural products. Honey is an important source of bioactive compounds derived from plants and recent years have seen an increased interest in its anticancer properties. This review examines the role of honey in targeting key hallmarks of carcinogenesis, including uncontrolled proliferation, apoptosis evasion, angiogenesis, growth factor signalling, invasion, and inflammation. The evidence for honey as an adjunct to conventional cancer therapy is also presented. The review also highlights gaps in the current understanding and concludes that, before translation of evidence from cell culture and animal studies into the clinical setting, further studies are warranted to examine the effects of honey at a molecular level, as well as on cells in the tumour environment.