Honey Flavonoids Research Articles

Core-shell magnetic covalent organic polymer nanocomposites as an adsorbent for the extraction of flavonoids.

A novel 3D magnetic nanocompositematerialbased on covalent organic polymers was successfully synthesized and utilized as an efficient sorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction. It exhibited a regular core-shell structure, large specific surface area, superior stability, and paramagnetism. To evaluate its extraction efficiency, six flavonoids were tested, demonstrating maximum adsorption capacities ranging from 90 to 218mg/g. Additionally, the material exhibited remarkable reusability and mechanical stability, maintaining its original state over eight cycles with consistent recovery. An analytical strategy combining magnetic solid-phase extraction with high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry was developed for the determination of flavonoids in orange, honey, soybean, and Dioscorea bulbifera L. samples. The low limits of detection (0.01-0.1ng/mL) and limits ofquantification (0.05-0.5ng/mL), as well as satisfactory recovery (80.4-114.8%), were obtained. The linear range started from the limits of quantification to 500ng/mL with R2 ≥ 0.9929. These results suggest that the prepared adsorbent possesses excellent adsorption capabilities for flavonoids, highlighting its significant potential for detecting these compounds in complex sample matrices.

Aqueous two-phase systems coupled with chemometrics-enhanced HPLC-DAD for simultaneous extraction and determination of flavonoids in honey.

In this study, an accurate, rapid, green, and environment friendly method for the extraction and quantitative analysis of flavonoids in honey was established by using the aqueous two-phase extraction combined with the chemometrics-assisted HPLC-DAD. The first purpose of this study was to extract seven flavonoids in five different types of honey using alcohol/salt aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). The system with 2.82mL sodium citrate (30%), 1.58mL water, and 3.10mL isopropanol, showed the highest flavonoids extraction yields in the top phase (87.66-101.50%). Additionally, the three-way array of honey samples based on HPLC-DAD was decomposed mathematically by the alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) algorithm to obtain reasonable chromatograms, spectra, and concentration profiles for each analyte. Compared with the traditional solid-phase extraction method, the ATPS-ATLD-based method showed satisfactory spiked recoveries, lower limit of detection, and higher sensitivity, further verifying its accuracy and stability.

Studi Kepustakaan Pengaruh Suplementasi Madu dalam Pengencer Terhadap Kualitas Semen Ayam

Honey is a thick, sweet-tasting liquid containing about 70-80% natural sugars, minerals, vitamins and enzymes. The content of 65% sugar is in the form of simple monosaccharides (fructose, glucose and sucrose). The high sugar content in honey can be used as a source of nutrients besides honey also acts as an antioxidant. This study aims to determine the antioxidants and other active substances in honey so that their addition to the diluent can maintain the quality of chicken semen during storage. This literature study was carried out through searching and collecting various literatures using Google Schoolar and PubMed then arranged using Mendeley. Sources of literature are scientific journals, scientific articles, Ebooks and seminar proceedings with "keywords" the effect of honey supplementation in diluent on the quality of chicken semen. Based on the results of the study, kalliandra honey is one of the best alternatives as antioxidants in chicken semen diluents, while the best honey level is 2%. The content of antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E and flavonoids in honey protects the sperm cell membrane of danger coldshock (cold shock), in addition to fructose and glucose can be made as a source of nutrients for spermatozoa during storage. The addition of honey in feed can improve the quality of chicken semen because it contains the minerals Zn (zinc), Se (selenium) and vitamins (E and C) which help in the process of spermatogenesis.

The potential neuroprotective effects of stingless bee honey.

Tropical Meliponini bees produce stingless bee honey (SBH). Studies have shown beneficial properties, including antibacterial, bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory, neurotherapeutic, neuroprotective, wound, and sunburn healing capabilities. High phenolic acid and flavonoid concentrations offer SBH its benefits. SBH can include flavonoids, phenolic acids, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, organic acids, amino acids, and protein, depending on its botanical and geographic origins. Ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, and gallic acid may diminish apoptotic signals in neuronal cells, such as nuclear morphological alterations and DNA fragmentation. Antioxidant activity minimizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and lowers oxidative stress, inhibiting inflammation by decreasing enzymes generated during inflammation. Flavonoids in honey reduce neuroinflammation by decreasing proinflammatory cytokine and free radical production. Phytochemical components in honey, such as luteolin and phenylalanine, may aid neurological problems. A dietary amino acid, phenylalanine, may improve memory by functioning on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pathways. Neurotrophin BDNF binds to its major receptor, TrkB, and stimulates downstream signaling cascades, which are crucial for neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Through BDNF, SBH can stimulate synaptic plasticity and synaptogenesis, promoting learning and memory. Moreover, BDNF contributes to the adult brain's lasting structural and functional changes during limbic epileptogenesis by acting through the cognate receptor tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB). Given the higher antioxidants activity of SBH than the Apis sp. honey, it may be more therapeutically helpful. There is minimal research on SBH's neuroprotective effects, and the related pathways contribute to it is unclear. More research is needed to elucidate the underlying molecular process of SBH on BDNF/TrkB pathways in producing neuroprotective effects.

Identification of Honey Flavonoids as Potential Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase and Main Protease: An In silico Analysis

COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a serious health crisis worldwide and requires a safe and efficacious treatment to combat the disease. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and main protease (Mpro) are vital enzymes in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle and are considered effective drug targets. In the current investigation, fourteen (14) flavonoids from honey were assessed to analyze their potential for RdRp and Mpro inhibition using the computational approach. First, flavonoids were screened based on drug-likeness, which determined all the compounds except epigallocatechin gallate as orally bioavailable drugs with easy absorbance and high permeability. Screened thirteen (13) flavonoids were subjected to molecular docking analysis to identify the potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 target proteins (RdRp and Mpro). The analysis revealed the significant binding affinities of all compounds with both target proteins. Luteolin showed the most stable binding interactions (−7.6 kcal/mol) with the RdRp while apigenin and kaempferol displayed the binding energy of −7.8 kcal/mol with Mpro. Low binding energies and stable interactions indicate these compounds' potential inhibition of target proteins. Toxicity analysis depicted these top compounds as safe drugs while target prediction showed their significant probability of target accuracy in the human body. The findings predict the anti-COVID-19 potential of honey flavonoids as safe drugs where top inhibitor compounds exhibit good pharmacodynamics properties and target accuracy. Further wet-lab experiments involving the in vitro and in vivo assays are recommended to investigate the effectiveness of honey flavonoids to cure the COVID-19.

Barevnost a obsah některých biologicky aktivních látek v medu

This paper highlights the correlations between instrumental measurements of colour and the content of some biologically active organic compounds (especially phenolics and flavonoids) in honey. Sufficiently close correlations may lead to the development of procedures for rapid determination of the content of these substances in honey by colour measurement without the need for more demanding sample preparation.

Characterization of antioxidant activity and analysis of phenolic acids and flavonoids in linden honey

Ten linden honey samples from China and Russia were analyzed in this study. Based on the determination of total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), the antioxidant activities of ten linden honey samples were analyzed. The results showed that the TPC and TFC in linden honey were ranged from 17.57 to 31.95 mg GAE 100 g-1 and 0.81 to 1.77 mg RE 100 g-1. The TPC and TFC of linden honey were strongly correlated with the antioxidant capacity, and the pearson’s correlation values (p≤0.01) were 0.828 and 0.770 respectively. In this work, the phenolic acids and flavonoids of linden honey were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was found that there were a lot of lindenin and abscisic acid in linden honey. Principal component analysis (PCA) and differential characteristic analysis were used to analyze the composition differences among linden honey samples. The results obtained for TPC, TFC and antioxidant capacities of linden honeys indicate linden honey had good quality as a healthy food.

Analysis of differences between unifloral honeys from different botanical origins based on non-targeted metabolomics by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

不同的蜜源植物具有结构多样的次生代谢产物。该研究以8种不同蜜源单花蜜(洋槐蜜、枣花蜜、荆条蜜、椴树蜜、荞麦蜜、麦卢卡蜜、枸杞蜜、益母草蜜)为研究对象,建立了基于超高效液相色谱-四极杆飞行时间质谱技术(UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE)的非靶向代谢组学方法,考察了不同蜜源中次生代谢产物的差异。该研究采用固相萃取前处理方法和UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE方法,获得不同蜜源单花蜜的植物代谢组信息,并构建了多变量统计分析模型,对不同来源的单花蜜进行模式识别和差异分析,发现洋槐蜜、枣花蜜、荆条蜜、椴树蜜、荞麦蜜、麦卢卡蜜相互间存在不同程度的显著差异。结合模型的变量重要性投影、方差分析与最大差异倍数值,根据精确前体离子和碎片离子质量信息检索Chemspider、HMDB数据库,该研究筛选并鉴定出32个代谢差异化合物,其中黄酮类化合物18个、酚酸类化合物7个、苯苷与萜苷类化合物6个、甾体类化合物1个;研究发现麦卢卡蜜和荞麦蜜以黄酮类化合物为主要差异代谢物,荆条蜜中酚酸类化合物为特征性表达,苯苷与萜苷类化合物主要为椴树蜜的特征代谢物。该研究从植物代谢组学角度初步揭示了不同单花蜜的代谢产物差异性以及特征化合物,为基于化学分析技术的蜂蜜溯源识别与质量评价提供了有效的研究策略。

Propolis, Bee Honey, and Their Components Protect against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Review of In Silico, In Vitro, and Clinical Studies.

Despite the virulence and high fatality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), no specific antiviral treatment exists until the current moment. Natural agents with immune-promoting potentials such as bee products are being explored as possible treatments. Bee honey and propolis are rich in bioactive compounds that express strong antimicrobial, bactericidal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. This review examined the literature for the anti-COVID-19 effects of bee honey and propolis, with the aim of optimizing the use of these handy products as prophylactic or adjuvant treatments for people infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Molecular simulations show that flavonoids in propolis and honey (e.g., rutin, naringin, caffeic acid phenyl ester, luteolin, and artepillin C) may inhibit viral spike fusion in host cells, viral-host interactions that trigger the cytokine storm, and viral replication. Similar to the potent antiviral drug remdesivir, rutin, propolis ethanolic extract, and propolis liposomes inhibited non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, and these compounds along with naringin inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vero E6 cells. Propolis extracts delivered by nanocarriers exhibit better antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2 than ethanolic extracts. In line, hospitalized COVID-19 patients receiving green Brazilian propolis or a combination of honey and Nigella sativa exhibited earlier viral clearance, symptom recovery, discharge from the hospital as well as less mortality than counterparts receiving standard care alone. Thus, the use of bee products as an adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 may produce beneficial effects. Implications for treatment outcomes and issues to be considered in future studies are discussed.

The Changes of Flavonoids in Honey during Storage

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in the contents of flavonoids that were the most prevalent in acacia and multifloral honey during one year of storage. Samples were stored in transparent glass containers, at room temperature, on open shelves exposed to light during daytime. Eight individual flavonoids identified and quantified using HPLC-Diode Array Detector (DAD) belongs to three subgroups: flavonols (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol and galangin), total flavanons (hesperetin and pinocembrin) and total flavones (apigenin and chrysin). Obtained results revealed that multifloral honey had more total flavonoids than acacia samples did. On average from all of the samples, multifloral honey had more of quercetin, hesperetin, luteolin, kaempferol and apigenin than acacia honey did. Content of flavonoids increased in samples between the 1st and 6th month of storage and then started to decrease until the 9th month, when they remained relatively constant all the way until the 12th month of storage. In conclusion, acacia and multifloral honey after one-year of storage still can be a valuable source of flavonoids.

Determination of flavonoids in honey by solid phase extraction coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method

To establish a method for simultaneous determination of 20 flavonoid compounds from honey samples using solid phase extraction coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS), which was applied to study the difference of flavonoid compounds in honey samples from different botanical origins. The honey samples were extracted with ultra-water solution by ultrasound, and purified with an Oasis MAX column, and then separated on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3(2. 1 mm×100 mm, 1. 8 μm) and eluted with the mobile phase consisted of 0. 1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile in a gradient program, and analyzed by mass spectrometry equipped with an electrospray ionization source, operating in the positive or negative ionization modes, and performed in the multiple reaction monitoring using external standards. Twenty flavonoid compounds showed good linearity with coefficients higher than 0. 9969; The recoveries of spiked honey samples in the range of 76. 2%-108. 6% at the concentrations of 100, 250 and 500 μg/L; The relative standard deviations were 0. 50%-4. 34% and 2. 51%-6. 71%(n=6)for inter-day and intra-day precisions, respectively. It was found that the variations of flavonoid compounds in 16 types of honey samples from different botanical origins differed largely. Among them, quercetrin content in fennel honey was the highest(165 ng/g). High contents of luteolin in red eucalyptus and manuka honey were 186 ng/g and 304 ng/g, respectively. High contents of kaempferol in buckwheat, fennel and manuka honeys were from 113 to 257 ng/g. High contents of chrysin in snow lotus honey, manuka, sunflower honey and lavender Honey were from 136 to 213 ng/g. The content of pinocembrin(473 ng/g) and pinobanksin(684 ng/g) in manuka honey were much higher than that in other honeys. The proposed method is simple for pretreatment, also sensitive, accurate and producible for quantitative of 20 flavonoid compounds in different honey samples, which provide more scientific data and application basis for quality analysis.

Quantitative and Discriminative Evaluation of Contents of Phenolic and Flavonoid and Antioxidant Competence for Chinese Honeys from Different Botanical Origins.

Phenolics and flavonoids in honey are considered as the main phytonutrients which not only act as natural antioxidants, but can also be used as floral markers for honey identification. In this study, the chemical profiles of phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant competences including total phenolic content, DPPH and ABTS assays and discrimination using chemometric analysis of various Chinese monofloral honeys from six botanical origins (acacia, Vitex, linden, rapeseed, Astragalus and Codonopsis) were examined. A reproducible and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was optimized and validated for the simultaneous determination of 38 phenolics, flavonoids and abscisic acid in honey. Formononetin, ononin, calycosin and calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside were identified and quantified in honeys for the first time. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed obvious differences among the honey samples in three-dimensional space accounting for 72.63% of the total variance. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) also revealed that the botanical origins of honey samples correlated with their phenolic and flavonoid contents. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) classification was performed to derive a model with high prediction ability. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model was employed to identify markers specific to a particular honey type. The results indicated that Chinese honeys contained various and discriminative phenolics and flavonoids, as well as antioxidant competence from different botanical origins, which was an alternative approach to honey identification and nutritional evaluation.

Honey flavonoids inhibit hOATP2B1 and hOATP1A2 transporters and hOATP-mediated rosuvastatin cell uptake in vitro

1. Some flavonoids contained in the common diet have been shown to interact with important membrane uptake transporters, including organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs). OATP2B1 and OATP1A2 expressed in the apical membrane of human enterocytes may significantly contribute to the intestinal absorption of drugs, e.g. statins. This study is aimed at an evaluation of the inhibitory potency of selected food honey flavonoids (namely galangin, myricetin, pinocembrin, pinobanksin, chrysin and fisetin) toward hOATP2B1 and hOATP1A2 as well as at examining their effect on the cellular uptake of the known OATP substrate rosuvastatin.2. Cell lines overexpressing the hOATP2B1 or hOATP1A2 transporter were employed as in vitro model to determine the inhibitory potency of the flavonoids toward the OATPs.3. Chrysin, galangin and pinocembrin were found to inhibit both hOATP2B1 and hOATP1A2 in lower or comparable concentrations as the known flavonoid OATP inhibitor quercetin. Galangin, chrysin and pinocembrin effectively inhibited rosuvastatin uptake by hOATP2B1 with IC50 ∼1–10 μM. The inhibition of the hOATP1A2-mediated transport of rosuvastatin by these flavonoids was weaker.4. The found data indicate that several of the tested natural compounds could potentially affect drug cellular uptake by hOATP2B1 and/or hOATP1A2 at relative low concentrations, a finding which suggests their potential for food–drug interactions.

Content of metals and metabolites in honey originated from the vicinity of industrial town Košice (eastern Slovakia).

Composition of three types of honey (mixed forest honey and monofloral-black locust and rapeseed honeys) originated from the vicinity of an industrial town (Košice, Slovak Republic) was compared. Higher content of minerals including toxic metals in forest honey (1358.6 ng Ni/g, 85.6 ng Pb/g, and 52.4 ng Cd/g) than in rapeseed and black locust honeys confirmed that botanical origin rather than the distance for eventual source of pollution (steel factory) affects metal deposition. Benzoic acid derivatives were typically more accumulated in forest but cinnamic acid derivatives and some flavonoids in rapeseed honey (in free and/or glycoside-bound fraction). In terms of quantity, p-hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acids were mainly abundant. Total phenols, thiols, and proteins were abundant in forest honey. Some metals and phenols contributed to separation of honeys based on principal component analysis (PCA). Native amount of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural was not related to honey type (~11 μg/g) and was elevated after strong acid hydrolysis (200-350 μg/g) but it did not interfere with the assay of phenols by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. This is the first report of metals and metabolites in the same study, and data are discussed with available literature. We conclude that black locust (acacia) honey is the most suitable for daily use and that central European monofloral honeys contain lower amounts of toxic metals in comparison with other geographical regions.

Honey Flavonoids Inhibit Candida albicans Morphogenesis by Affecting DNA Behavior and Mitochondrial Function

Candida albicans is a pathogenic yeast, which forms a range of polarized and expanded cell shapes. We aimed to determine the correlation between honey extract (HFE) activity and changes in C. albicans cell cycle, morphology and subcellular organelles. HFE anticandidal properties were investigated using flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy. Flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy analyses indicated that HFE may inhibit the growth of the three phenotypes displayed by C. albicans and reduce infection by affecting membrane integrity. HFE affects hyphal transition by reducing the G0/G1 phase and increasing the G2/M phase. Conversely, yeast and pseudohyphae do not appear to be affected. Modifications of vacuolization and mitochondrial activity, during yeast-hypha transition establish the involvement of vacuole and mitochondria. HFE improved mitochondrial functionality and reduced the vacuolization, modifying the branching process associated with virulence. It is hypothesized that HFE induces changes in cell cycle progress, membrane integrity, mitochondrial function and biogenesis.

Determination of phenolic compounds in honey using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction

Honey is a valuable functional food rich in phenolic compounds with a broad spectrum of biological activities. Analysis of the phenolic compounds in honey is a very promising tool for the quality control, the authentication and characterization of botanical origin, and the nutraceutical research. This work describes a novel approach for the rapid analysis of five phenolic acids and 10 flavonoids in honey. Phenolic compounds were rapidly extracted and concentrated from diluted honey by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) and then analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with UV absorbance detection (HPLC–UV). Some important parameters, such as the nature and volume of extraction and dispersive solvents, pH and salt effect were carefully investigated and optimized to achieve the best extraction efficiency. Under the optimal conditions, an exhaustive extraction for twelve of the investigated analytes (recoveries >70%), with a precision (RSD<10%) highly acceptable for complex matrices, and detection and quantification limits at ppb levels (1.4–12 and 4.7–40ngg−1, respectively) were attained. The proposed method, compared with the most widely used method in the analysis of phenolic compounds in honey, provided similar or higher extraction efficiency, except in the case of the most hydrophilic phenolic acids. The capability of DLLME to the extraction of other honey phytochemicals, such as abscisic acid, was also demonstrated. The main advantages of developed method are the simplicity of operation, the rapidity to achieve a very high sample throughput and low cost.

The Antioxidant Activity of Acacia and Lime Romanian Honeys

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Two types of h oney, acacia and lime honey, collected in the south-eastern region of Romania , were investigated for their total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, free radicals scavenging activity and reducing power activity. Acacia honey sample presented the highest amount of total phenolic compounds when compared to lime honey, which possessed good radicals scavenging activity and the highest amount of total flavonoids. The results suggest a relationship between honey total polyphenols and free radicals scavenging activity determinated by chemiluminescent assay. Moreover, the concentration of honey phenolics and flavonoids seemed to correlate with honey reducing power activity.

Fir honeydew honey flavonoids inhibit TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression in human keratinocytes: a new action of honey in wound healing

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) appears to be a major protease responsible for the degradation of matrix and growth-promoting agents in chronic wounds. Honey has been successfully used for treating non-healing wounds associated with infections. However, the mechanisms of its action at the cellular level have remained poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fir honeydew honey on TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression and secretion from human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and to identify the honey component(s) responsible for a discovered effect. A C18 solid-phase column was used for preparation of honey aqueous extract (HAE). Expression and production of MMP-9 by HaCaT cells were determined by reverse transcription-PCR, gelatine zymography and Western blot analysis using a polyclonal antibody against MMP-9. We found that HAE inhibited TNF-α-induced production of MMP-9 in keratinocytes in a dose-dependent manner at both the mRNA and protein levels. Apigenin and kaempferol, identified flavonoids in HAE, markedly inhibited MMP-9 production from HaCaT and epidermal keratinocytes. Taken together, fir honeydew honey, which contains certain flavonoids, prevents TNF-α-induced proteolytic activity in cutaneous inflammation. Thus, our findings provide clear evidence that honey may serve as a natural treatment for dermatological problems associated with a persistent inflammation.

Comparative analysis of antioxidant activity of honey of different floral sources using recently developed polarographic and various spectrophotometric assays

Hydrogen peroxide scavenging (HPS) activity of honey of different floral sources and its constituents such as predominant honey flavonoids, phenolic acids, amino and organic acids, and carbohydrates have been assessed by direct current (DC) polarographic assay. The assay was based on decrease of anodic current of hydrogen peroxide complex, formed in alkaline solution, at the potential of mercury dissolution. High correlations between honey HPS activity, its total phenolic content (FC-GAE), antioxidant activity measured by four standard methods (DPPH, TEAC, FRAP and ORAC), and also the relative antioxidant capacity index, were obtained. Statistical evaluation by ANOVA and F-test further confirmed the assay validity. The results for individual compounds showed that HPS activity of honey reflects an integrated action of a wide range of constituents, both phenolics and non-phenolics. The polarographic assay applied is a fast, reliable and low cost alternative to spectrophotometric antioxidant assays commonly applied in analysis of honey and can serve as an indicator of honey quality.

Anti-inflammatory Activity of a Honey Flavonoid Extract on Lipopolysaccharide-Activated N13 Microglial Cells

Neuroinflammation is an important contributor to pathogenesis of age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Accumulating evidence indicates that inhibition of microglia-mediated neuroinflammation may become a reliable protective strategy for neurodegenerative processes. Flavonoids, widely distributed in the vegetable kingdom and in foods such as honey, have been suggested as novel therapeutic agents for the reduction of the deleterious effects of neuroinflammation. The present study investigated the potential protective effect of a honey flavonoid extract (HFE) on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated N13 microglia. The results show that HFE significantly inhibited the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β. The expressions of iNOS and the production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROS) were also significantly inhibited. Accordingly, the present study demonstrates that HFE is a potent inhibitor of microglial activation and thus a potential preventive-therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases involving neuroinflammation.