Abstract
Honey has good antimicrobial properties and can be used for medical treatment. The antimicrobial properties of unifloral honey varieties are different. In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of nine kinds of Chinese monofloral honeys. In addition, headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) technology was used to detect their volatile components. The relevant results are as follows: 1. The agar diffusion test showed that the diameter of inhibition zone against Staphylococcus aureus of Fennel honey (21.50 ± 0.41 mm), Agastache honey (20.74 ± 0.37 mm), and Pomegranate honey (18.16 ± 0.11 mm) was larger than that of Manuka 12+ honey (14.27 ± 0.10 mm) and Manuka 20+ honey (16.52 ± 0.12 mm). The antimicrobial activity of Chinese honey depends on hydrogen peroxide. 2. The total antioxidant capacity of Fennel honey, Agastache honey, and Pomegranate honey was higher than that of other Chinese honeys. There was a significant positive correlation between the total antioxidant capacity and the total phenol content of Chinese honey (r = 0.958). The correlation coefficient between the chroma value of Chinese honey and the total antioxidant and the diameter of inhibition zone was 0.940 and 0.746, respectively. The analyzed dark honeys had better antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. 3. There were significant differences in volatile components among Fennel honey, Agastache honey, Pomegranate honey, and Manuka honey. Hexanal-D and Heptanol were the characteristic components of Fennel honey and Pomegranate honey, respectively. Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and 3-methylpentanoic acids were the unique compounds of Agastache honey. The flavor fingerprints of the honey samples from different plants can be successfully built using HS-GC-IMS and principal component analysis (PCA) based on their volatile compounds. Fennel honey, Agastache honey, and Pomegranate honey are Chinese honey varieties with excellent antimicrobial properties, and have the potential to be developed into medical grade honey.
Highlights
Honey is a health care product with high nutritional value, and it is a traditional medicine that prevents and treats wound infections [1]
Hexanal-D and Heptanol were the characteristic components of Fennel honey and Pomegranate honey, respectively
Agastache honey, and Pomegranate honey are Chinese honey varieties with excellent antimicrobial properties, and have the potential to be developed into medical grade honey
Summary
Honey is a health care product with high nutritional value, and it is a traditional medicine that prevents and treats wound infections [1]. Methylglyoxal (MGO), and polyphenolic compounds were considered to be the key compounds for honey to exert antimicrobial activity [3]. The antimicrobial activity of Manuka honey was not affected. The pronounced non-hydrogen peroxide antimicrobial activity of Manuka honey directly originated from MGO and its concentration in Manuka honey ranged from 38 mg/kg to 761 mg/kg, which was up to 100-fold higher compared to ordinary honeys [10]. The correlation between the content of MGO in Manuka honey and its non-hydrogen peroxide antimicrobial activity was as high as 0.98 [11]. Polyphenols can scavenge free radicals and inhibit oxidation, and a variety of polyphenolic compounds in honey have been identified as having antimicrobial activity [13,14]. Are there any honey varieties in China that have antimicrobial properties close to or exceeding Manuka honey and what is their antimicrobial mechanism? In order to solve this question, we researched nine species of unifloral Chinese honeys, hoping to find Chinese honey varieties with excellent antimicrobial ability
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