Natural Honeys Research Articles

Physicochemical characteristics and pollen spectrum of some north-east Algerian honeys.

The qualities of seventeen honey samples harvested from the North-East areas of Algeria were evaluated by determining the pollen spectrum, pollen number quantity and physicochemical attributes. Pollen analysis can therefore be useful to determine the geographical and botanical origin of honeys. The following determinations were carried out: pH, density, acidity (free, lactone and total), moisture, electrical conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, apparent sucrose, and proteins.The results obtained in the present study show the variability of chemical composition of the honey samples. It proved that nine natural honeys are of blossoming origin; suitable for consumption and that one (T5 conferred Bougous) can be used with fine dietetics, it is very rich in pollen which is regarded as protein source. The remainder, eight honeys, were not in conformity with the International Regulatory Standards, their sugar contents (Sucrose) and hydroxymethylfurfural exceeded the InternationalRegulatory Standards Review by the International Honey Commission, this was probably due to use of syrup for the over-feeding the bees during the spring. The sample Bouhachana (G1) had high water content (more than 20%), low density and electrical conductivity higher than 5 μS/cm, which makes it likely to undergo fermentation and degradation. Honeys of Guerguour (T1), Boutheldja (T2) and Bouhadjar (T3) had pH lower than the European standards concerning the quality control of the foodstuffs (exp. honey). These samples are fragile; so we cannot preserve them for a long period. The palynological analysis (qualitative and quantitative) of the harvested samples in the area, showed the absence of a honey obtained from only one melliferous plant. All honeys are polyfloral exits of theseveral plant species visited by the worker bees during their blossoming periods. Three families are the most represented in the groups of pollen of accompaniment (the secondary pollen ranged between 16-45%) and the pollen considered as rare (minor pollen 3-15%) in the counted total number of the pollen grains in 10 grams of honey. These forager honey families are: Myrtaceae presented by the Eucalyptus, Papilionaceae presented by Hedysarum coronarium which is a forager plant characterized by a very vast surface of development, and Rosaceae represented byorchard and forest species.The pollen grain number counted in honeys is very significant (between 80 000 and 24 832 000pollen grain), what makes it possible to classify the samples analyzed among the categories rich in pollen.

The antimicrobial efficacy of Fijian honeys against clinical isolates from diabetic foot ulcers

Summary A diverse range of illnesses has been treated with honey since ancient civilizations. There has been growing interest by health care professionals in wound care products based on New Zealand manuka honey and Australian honey of similar Leptospermum spp. In Fiji, local honeys have been used in homes to treat diabetic foot ulcers which have failed to heal by conventional therapeutic methods. This suggests that Fiji honeys may confer antimicrobial activity against the isolates from diabetic foot ulcers and this inference was tested in this study. The antimicrobial activity of 30 natural and two processed honeys was determined using some clinical isolates from diabetic foot ulcers, namely: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial activity of the natural honeys, determined by an agar well diffusion assay and expressed as the concentration of phenol with equivalent activity, was found to be between 4.1 and 14.5% w/v phenol. The mean inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the honeys determined by an agar incorporation technique, was found to range from 4.8% to more than 9.1% (v/v) honey (9.1% being the highest concentration tested). In comparison, the activities of two processed honeys were between 4.5 - 8.9% phenol equivalence and did not inhibit the clinical isolates from diabetic foot ulcers at the highest concentration of honey tested (9.1%). The results demonstrate that Fijian honeys could be utilized as a herbal remedy for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. However, to assess the potential of Fijian honeys on diabetic foot ulcers, there is a need for clinical trials on these wounds.

Physicochemical properties and quality parameters of herbhoneys

Herbhoney is a honey-like substance produced by bees fed on a saccharose-based food supplemented with herbal extracts or fruit juices. Having specific sensory characteristics (colour, aroma and taste), different from those of natural honeys, herbhoneys greatly extend the range of bee products. With the aim of improving the knowledge of herbhoneys of various origins, their chosen physicochemical and quality parameters were evaluated. It was found that the herbhoneys studied satisfied most of the requirements relative to natural honeys (water, hydroxymethylfurfural and saccharose contents, free acidity, and diastase number). Some of the samples showed an increased specific conductivity, characteristic of honeydew honeys, although the ash contents of herbhoneys were at a level typical of nectar honeys. The saccharose content of some herbhoneys exceeded the value allowed for most natural honeys. Mineral composition varied between the samples, being in most cases within the limits reported in this literature for natural honeys.

Immunomodulatory effects of honey cannot be distinguished from endotoxin

In recent years, the use of honey has re-emerged as a remedy for wound treatment. Effects of honey have been related to the presence of an unidentified component that induces release of inflammatory cytokines from monocytic cells. The present study was intended to further characterize the reported in vitro effects of honey. Our results show that natural honeys induce interleukin-6 release from Mono Mac 6 cells as well as release of reactive oxygen species from all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) differentiated HL-60 cells. The natural honeys contained substantial amounts of endotoxin, and the responses observed in the cell based assays were similar to the responses induced by endotoxin alone. In addition, we determined that the immunomodulatory component present in the natural honeys was retained in the ultra filtrated fraction with a molecular weight greater than 20 kDa. The component was resistant to boiling and its immunomodulatory activity could be abrogated by the addition of polymyxin B. We speculate that the observed in vitro immunomodulatory effects of honey might solely be explained by the endotoxin content in the natural honeys.

Medical honey for wound care--still the 'latest resort'?

While the ancient Egyptians and Greeks used honey for wound care, and a broad spectrum of wounds are treated all over the world with natural unprocessed honeys from different sources, Medihoney™ has been one of the first medically certified honeys licensed as a medical product for professional wound care in Europe and Australia. Our experience with medical honey in wound care refers only to this product. In this review, we put our clinical experience into a broader perspective to comment on the use of medical honey in wound care. More prospective randomized studies on a wider range of types of wounds are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of medical honey in wound care. Nonetheless, the current evidence confirming the antibacterial properties and additional beneficial effects of medical honey on wound healing should encourage other wound care professionals to use CE-certified honey dressings with standardized antibacterial activity, such as Medihoney™ products, as an alternative treatment approach in wounds of different natures.

Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Natural Honeys Produced in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Natural Honeys Produced in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

The Use of Carbohydrate Profiles and Chemometrics in the Characterization of Natural Honeys of Identical Geographical Origin

A study of the real possibilities of carbohydrate profiles and chemometrics to characterize the botanical origin of honey from a single geographical area, the Province of Soria (Spain), is presented. To this end, 14 carbohydrates were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) in 77 natural honeys, the botanical origins of which were ling, spike lavender, French lavender, thyme, forest, and multifloral. Principal component analysis has been employed as a first approach to characterize the honey samples analyzed, showing similarities between spike lavender and multifloral honeys. The best discrimination among groups is obtained when four canonical discriminant analyses were carried out sequentially, origin by origin, achieving an overall percentage of success of 90% following cross-validation.

Antibacterial activity of selected Portuguese honeys

SUMMARYAncient civilisations utilized honey for the treatment of a diverse range of illnesses. Although honey is no longer regarded as a routine remedy, the recent development of honey-based wound care products in Australasia and the UK is generating interest from modern healthcare professionals. Historical records indicate that honeys used for ancient medical purposes were carefully selected from local sources. This suggests that specific regional honeys might offer potential for modern alternative antimicrobial therapy, and this inference was tested in this study. The physicochemical properties determined for a selection of 30 Portuguese honeys included sugar and water content, pH, colour, protein concentration and hydroxymethylfurfural concentration. Predominant floral source was determined by pollen analysis. Antibacterial activity of each honey was compared to phenol concentration using Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 6571 and the effect of catalase on activity determined. All samples exhibited physicochemical characteristics of unadulterated, natural honeys and all possessed peroxide antibacterial activity (activity destroyed by catalase). The honeys that showed nonperoxide activity were mainly derived from Lavandula stoechas. Since honeys with non-peroxide activity are being utilized for most modern wound care products, these results demonstrate that some Portuguese honeys might also be suitable. This potential is at present unknown, and there is a need for further screening of the honeys from not only Portugal but the rest of Europe.

Effect of honey high-temperature short-time heating on parameters related to quality, crystallisation phenomena and fungal inhibition

The effect of a unique high-temperature short-time heating treatment on natural honeys to produce both a fungi inhibition and a crystallisation delay simultaneously was evaluated. As responses to treatments, hydroxymethylfurfural content, diastase activity, fungi and yeast development, and crystallisation starting time were measured. Besides, moisture, fructose, glucose and acidity were determined. Heating can produce a decrease in honey quality, which is made evident by a simultaneous reduction in the diastase activity, referred to as diastase number, and an increase in the hydroxymethylfurfural content. Considering the minimum admissible diastase number and the maximum admissible hydroxymethylfurfural content values, according to honey present regulations, several thermal treatment tests were performed on selected honey samples without exceeding those values. Tested conditions were: heating between 140°C and 80°C at times between 60 to 15 s and 30 to 10 s during both transient and isothermal heating stages, respectively. In all tests the diastase number was the most heat-sensitive parameter. The boundary thermal treatment, assumed as the most severe conditions able to produce a permissible quality loss, was found to be 140°C, during 15 s in the transient stage and 30 s in the isothermal stage. Beyond those values, an unacceptable diastase number reduction was produced. On the other hand, it was found that a 80°C heating, during 60 and 30 s in transient and in isothermal stages, respectively, destroyed all microorganisms responsible for quality damage without spoiling honey. This was considered to be the mild or more suitable treatment condition. Twenty-six naturally contaminated honey samples heated at such conditions showed a null capacity to develop fungi and yeast. Besides, according to the storing temperature, and moisture and glucose contents, a crystallisation beginning delay between 4 and 9 weeks was obtained on four selected honeys, according to the thermal treatment applied. Several parameters previously proposed that characterise honey crystallisation tendency as fructose/glucose, glucose/moisture and (glucose-moisture)/fructose ratios were related to the time in which crystallisation starts. A new parameter, (fructose/glucose)·moisture was proposed.

The sensitivity to honey of Gram-positive cocci of clinical significance isolated from wounds.

To determine the sensitivity to honey of Gram-positive cocci of clinical significance in wounds and demonstrate that inhibition is not exclusively due to osmotic effects. Eighteen strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and seven strains of vancomycin-sensitive enterococci were isolated from infected wounds and 20 strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci were isolated from hospital environmental surfaces. Using an agar incorporation technique to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), their sensitivity to two natural honeys of median levels of antibacterial activity was established and compared with an artificial honey solution. For all of the strains tested, the MIC values against manuka and pasture honey were below 10% (v/v), but concentrations of artificial honey at least three times higher were required to achieve equivalent inhibition in vitro. Comparison of the MIC values of antibiotic-sensitive strains with their respective antibiotic-resistant strains demonstrated no marked differences in their susceptibilities to honey. The inhibition of bacteria by honey is not exclusively due to osmolarity. For the Gram-positive cocci tested, antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant strains showed similar sensitivity to honey. A possible role for honey in the treatment of wounds colonized by antibiotic-resistant bacteria is indicated.

Suppressive Effect of Honey on Antigen/Mitogen Stimulated Murine T Cell Proliferation

It has been reported that the intraperitoneal administration of honey suppressed the induction of antigen-specific humoral antibody response in mice as determined by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion tests. Hence, we studied the effect of honey on induction of antigen-specific IgG antibody response and found suppression in mice as determined by ELISA and also T cell proliferation in vitro. T cell proliferation induced by antigens such as ovalbumin, diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid, as well as the mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin, was significantly suppressed by various doses of natural and commercial honeys, as evaluated by 3 H-thymidine incorporation. Furthermore, the suppressive effect of honey was also confirmed on antigen- or mitogen-induced T cell proliferative responses using splenic T cells from different haplotypes of mice. The results obtained in this work confirm the antiproliferative activity of honey.

Microbiological decontamination of natural honey by irradiation

Abstract Degree of microbiological decontamination, organoleptic and physico-chemical properties of natural honeys were investigated after radiation treatment. Seven kinds of honeys were irradiated with the beams of 10 MeV electrons from a 10 kW linear accelerator “Elektronika 10-10” at the dose 10 kGy. It was shown, that after irradiation, the total count of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and moulds decrease by 99%. The antibiotic value in investigated honeys increased in turn from 1.67 to 2.67 after irradiation. Such factors and parameters of investigated honeys as their consistency, content of water and saccharose, acidity, the diastase and 5-HMF values were not changed significantly after irradiation. Decontamination by irradiation is a process which allows us to obtain high microbiological purity of honeys. It is especially needed, when honeys are used in surgical treatment of injuries and in nutrition of babies with food deficiency.

Chemometric classification of honeys according to their type. II. Metal content data

The objective of this work was to develop a method to confirm the geographical authenticity of Galician-labelled honeys as Galician-produced honeys. Eleven metals were determined in 42 honey samples divided into two categories: natural Galician honeys and processed non-Galician honeys. Multivariate chemometric techniques such as principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis, KNN and SIMCA are used to classify honeys according to their type and origin on the basis of the chemical data. Using only three features, Cu, Mn and Li, an almost correct classification was achieved. ©

Direct Method of Sucrose and Raffinose Determination Using 5-Diazouracil,

5-Diazouracil can serve for direct sucrose and raffinose determination in pure solutions obeying Lambert–Beer law. Fructose, glucose, melezitose, maltose, and their mixtures interfere in sucrose (and raffinose) determination but their influence can be eliminated. The method was applied to natural honeys and honey substitutes.

General rheological model for natural honeys in China

The viscosities of 46 varieties of Chinese natural honeys were measured with a rotational viscometer. It is found that the Newtonian model may be considered as the general rheological model for Chinese natural honeys. The relationship among water content, temperature and viscosity for different honeys may be expressed by η = 14·2 × 10 3 exp(−0·31w − 0·085t).

Correlation between K, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn in natural honeys from Eucalyptus sources

Thirty-five natural honey samples from three apicultural regions of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were collected from honeybee hives under various climatic conditions over a two-year period. The beehives were located in the districts of Bom Jesus do Amparo, Barão de Cocais and São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, all within a 100 km radius of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The pollinic spectrum, color and ash, moisture, K, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn contents were determined. Elemental analysis were done by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Accuracy and precision were verified by recovery tests and relative standard deviation, respectively. The mean mineral contents encountered were K = 1130; Mn = 3.88; Fe = 2.79; Zn = 2.34 and Cu = 0.54 µ g/g. During the dry season, several species of Eucalyptus pollen grains predominated, with Vernonia pollen grains present in lower abundance. In the rainy season, there was an inversion of dominance. Statistical treatment of results, separated according to comb and season, showed statistically equivalent means, although some good correlation indices (p = 0.05) were obtained, e.g. between percent Eucalyptus pollen grains and Mn content (0.450), between Fe and Zn (0.698) and between K and Mn (0.738).

Allergy to natural honeys and camomile tea.

Precipitation of food allergy reactions is well known in some patients with pollinosis when they consume natural food, such as honey or camomile tea. We present 9 patients with hay fever, with or without asthma, who experienced systemic allergic reactions after ingestion of natural honeys from two local areas (Andujar and Granada) and/or camomile tea. Pollen analysis showed a high level in sunflower pollen (23.6% of pollen grains) in the honey from Andujar but not in that from Granada. The diagnosis of food and respiratory allergy was based on history, skin prick tests and specific IgE activity against pollen from Compositae. Conjunctival challenge with camomile extract also gave positive results. The above allergological tests and the inhibition studies carried out, suggest that pollen of Compositae may be responsible for allergic reactions to certain natural foods and that the reactions are mediated by an IgE-related mechanism.

Polarographic Determination of the Adulteration of Honey with Invert Sugar

SummaryMarked differences were found between different natural honeys and adulterated honeys in the suppression of oxygen peaks during the Polarographie determination of D-fructose. Examination of the measurements of these peaks, and of the height of the D-fructose reductive wave, suggests that an increasing D-fructose content in natural honey is accompanied by a decreasing ability to suppress the oxygen peaks. It is therefore advantageous in controlling the purity of honey samples to examine the ratio between the height of the oxygen peak and the height of the reduction wave of D-fructose. This ratio was always higher for artificial ‘honeys’ or adulterated natural honeys than the limit determined for pure honey.

Topical Honey Application In Treating Large Ulcerated Wound As a Complication of Vascular Malformation In a 5-Month-Old Baby

Background: The ancient Egyptians and Greeks have used honey for wound care, and a broad spectrum of wounds are treated all over the world with natural unprocessed honeys from different sources. In lots of studies, honey as a conventional wound treatment may help improve wound healing, prevent invasive infections and eliminate colonization. With the increasing frequency of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, modern medicine give attention to natural products. The aim of this report is to gain insight into the practical use of topical honey in wound management. Methods: We report a case of five-month-old girl with sepsis and large ulcerated necrotizing wound at the external genitalia and perineum extending to gluteal area as complication of vein malformation after treated with intravenous injection of Bleomycin and Vincristine. Result: She was successfully treated with unprocessed local honey. Conclusion: Honey is shown to be a good option for treating infected chronic wound with dramatic result.

Studies on Natural Honey.

Two kinds of artificial honeys (I) and seven kinds of natural honeys (II) were analyzed. A mixture of starch solution and a sample of honey was incubated in an acetate buffer solution (pH 5.3) containing sodium chloride at 40°. An aliquot was drawn from the reaction mixture every 10 minutes to react with iodine solution and the absorbance were determined electrophotometrically. The absorbance was plotted against reaction time on rectilinear paper to make the reaction curve. It was found from the graph obtained that the natural honeys have stronger amylase activities than the artificial honeys. Multiplicity of several honeys was revealed with paper electrophoresis at pH 8.7 in veronal buffer and 250 V for 6 hours. The following samples were used ; (I), (II), salivary amylase (III), diastase, J.P. (IV) and pancreatic amylase (V). Artificial honeys (I) did not show any spot by this procedure but some differences were observed in the electrophoretic patterns of other samples. α-Amylase activity and electrophoretic pattern are seemed to be able to use for the determination of honey adulteration.