Antioxidant activities of some monofloral honey types produced across Minas Gerais (Brazil)

Deosvaldo S Pena Júnior,Dario A De Oliveira,Luciano F De Souza,Murilo M Brandão,Pedro Henrique V Fonseca,Afranio F De Melo Junior,Elytania V Menezes,Clarice A Almeida,Vanessa De A Royo,Maria Clara F Santos,Junio C Silva,Umakanta Sarker

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262038

Deosvaldo S Pena Júnior, Dario A De Oliveira + Show 10 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262038

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Abstract

This study was carried out with the objective of determining the antioxidant properties and quantification of total phenolics and flavonoids in relation to quercetin and rutin in some of the monofloral honeys produced in Minas Gerais (Brazil). In this study, 15 monofloral honey samples were obtained from different geographic regions of Minas Gerias, Brazil. The honeys were obtained from Cooperative of Beekeepers and Family Farmers of Northern Minas. To determine the antioxidant properties of honey samples, the test methods of total phenolic content, flavonoids (rutin and quercetin) and DPPH were used. As a result of the analysis of phenolic and flavonoid contents, the samples with the best results were A1-Aroeira and A4-Assa peixe. In antioxidant activity, the honey with the best EC50 results was A6-Aroeira. Differences between the antioxidant activities of the honey samples were found significantly (p< 0.01).

Highlights

IntroductionHoney is a high-quality natural food product, both nutritionally and due to its therapeutic properties that ensure a balance in the biological process [1, 2] which occurs because in the composition there are bioactive compounds [3, 4].Honey has been used for a long time in folk medicine [5, 6] orally or topically against various diseases and since consumers generally consider honey as a natural source of health due to the therapeutic qualities attributed to it, such as antimicrobial, gastrointestinal protective and antioxidant properties, in addition to being a good source of energy [7].Several substances that make up honey are responsible for its antimicrobial and antioxidant character, but the chemical composition of honey is extremely variable, due to the various factors that influence the composition, such as geographic location and soil type, botanical origin, time of year, rainfall, processing, handling and storage, in addition to the bee species [8]
Monofloral honey is obtained from the nectar of specific source plants which can be determined by melissopalynologycal analysis
The studied honeys have levels of total phenolics and flavonoids above the results found in the literature for other honeys, mainly A1-Aroeira and A4-Assa peixe honeys

Summary

Introduction

Honey is a high-quality natural food product, both nutritionally and due to its therapeutic properties that ensure a balance in the biological process [1, 2] which occurs because in the composition there are bioactive compounds [3, 4].Honey has been used for a long time in folk medicine [5, 6] orally or topically against various diseases and since consumers generally consider honey as a natural source of health due to the therapeutic qualities attributed to it, such as antimicrobial, gastrointestinal protective and antioxidant properties, in addition to being a good source of energy [7].Several substances that make up honey are responsible for its antimicrobial and antioxidant character, but the chemical composition of honey is extremely variable, due to the various factors that influence the composition, such as geographic location and soil type, botanical origin, time of year, rainfall, processing, handling and storage, in addition to the bee species [8]. Honey has been used for a long time in folk medicine [5, 6] orally or topically against various diseases and since consumers generally consider honey as a natural source of health due to the therapeutic qualities attributed to it, such as antimicrobial, gastrointestinal protective and antioxidant properties, in addition to being a good source of energy [7]. Antioxidant activities of monofloral honeys the nectar collected by bees for the preparation of honey, determine differences in the composition of honey. This variation is what allows obtaining different properties, such as biological activities [9, 10]

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Conclusion