The Relationship between Fructose, Glucose and Maltose Content with Diastase Number and Anti-Pseudomonal Activity of Natural Honey Combined with Potato Starch

Abstract

Honey whose medicinal uses date from ancient times has been lately rediscovered as therapy for burns. Objective: To evaluate the additive action of potato starch on the antipseudomonal activity of natural honey. Methods: Physicochemical parameters of 6 samples of Algerian honeys were analysed; four parameters were measured, including Diastase, glucose, fructose and maltose. The antibacterial activity was tested using the well-agar diffusion assay. Results: Six honey samples with initial diastase activity between 22.1 and 7.3 Schade units were tested. Glucose, fructose and maltose values range between 21, 45-30, 95%, 25, 20-37, 81% and 4, 72-78, 45% respectively. The zone inhibition diameter (ZID) for the six honey samples without starch against P. aureogenosa ranged between 26 and 31 mm. When starch was mixed with honey and then added to well, a zone inhibition increase diameter (ZIID) 27 and 32 mm. The percentage increase (PI %) was noticed with each variety and it ranged between 3, 57 and 18, 75%. Positive correlation has been established between the zone increase of inhibition and the Diastase number (r value was 0.072 at p<0.05). Conclusion: The use of potato starch allows honey benefit and would constitute an additive effect to the antibacterial activity of natural honey.