Methylglyoxal (MGO) in Italian Honey

Valentina Terio,Giuseppina Tantillo,Angela Di Pinto,Anna Mottola,Elisabetta Bonerba,Edmondo Ceci,Patrizia Marchetti,Alessandra Emilia Savarino,Roberta Barrasso,Giancarlo Bozzo

doi:10.3390/app11020831

Abstract

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is recognized as being the bioactive component responsible for the antibacterial activity of mānuka honey. MGO content was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV), in isocratic elution, to assess the occurrence of this compound in mono- and multi-floral honey samples representative of different botanical and geographic origins in Italy. Specifically, 110 honey samples from sweet cherry tree (Prunus avium L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), almond tree (Prunus amygdalus L.), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), cornflower (Centaurea cyanus L.), thistle (Silybum marianum L.), acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), citrus, honeydew and multifloral honey were considered. The amount of MGO found in different types of honey was ranging from 0.4 to 24.1 mg/kg. This study provides, for the first time, data on MGO levels in Italian cherry and almond honey, which showed higher concentrations of MGO compared to honeys from other botanical species.

Highlights

Honey is a natural source of macro and micro-nutrients and many biologically active compounds [1,2]
Some researchers have focused on the phytochemical compound MGO, which is responsible for the powerful antibacterial activity in manuka and other types of honey [37,48,49,50]
The different levels of MGO in the honey samples investigated could be associated with technological ultrafiltration and thermal processes, which could influence the chemical transformation of DHA into MGO

Summary

Introduction

Honey is a natural source of macro and micro-nutrients and many biologically active compounds [1,2]. Recent studies have shown that, like other hive products, honey has various benefits for human health, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and bacteriostatic effects [4,5,6,7]. For these reasons, honeybee products are already widely used as ingredients in the field of cosmetics and nutraceuticals [3,8,9]. Galangin and chrysin are involved respectively in the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipo-oxygenase activity, and the suppression both of COX-2 pro-inflammatory activities and of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), the enzyme involved in the inflammatory process [3,20,21]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion