Abstract
Honey and propolis are natural substances produced by Apis mellifera that contain flavonoids, phenolic acids, and several other phytochemicals. The aim of this study was to phytochemically characterize three different types of honey and propolis, both separately and mixed, and to evaluate their wound-healing activity. Total phenolic compounds and flavonoids were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu’s and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by both the DPPH free radical scavenging assay and β-carotene bleaching test, and the anti-inflammatory activity was determined by a protein denaturation method. To evaluate the wound-healing activity of the samples, NHDF cells were subjected to a wound scratch assay. The obtained results showed that dark-brown honey presents a higher concentration of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, as well as higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Propolis samples had the highest concentrations in bioactive compounds. Examining the microscopic images, it was possible to verify that the samples promote cell migration, demonstrating the wound-healing potential of honey and propolis.
Highlights
Honey is a natural substance produced by the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) from nectar and exudates of flowers and trees
Regarding the honey samples and given the flora that exists at the place of harvest, it is expected that Honey 1 was produced mainly during the autumn from species such as Arbutus unedo, Castanea sativa, Quercus faginea, and Pinus pinaster
Honey 2 was produced during the summer from flowers such as Rosa spp., Dahlia spp., Hydrangea spp., and flowers from fruit trees like Prunus avium, Malus spp., Pyrus communis, and Prunus spinosa
Summary
Honey is a natural substance produced by the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) from nectar and exudates of flowers and trees. Phenolic compounds, and numerous sugars in its composition, mainly glucose and fructose. It contains small amounts of minerals, vitamins, proteins, and enzymes [1,2,3,4,5]. Propolis contains several minerals, vitamins, and enzymes [9]. This substance is used to protect the beehive, acting as a natural sealant, antiseptic, and embalming agent [1,4,6,7,8,10]
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