Argentine stingless bee honey: bioactive compounds and health-promoting properties

SALOMON, VIRGINIA; BRODKIEWICZ, IVANA; GENNARI, GERARDO; MALDONADO, LUIS; ROMERO, CINTIA; VERA, NANCY ROXANA

Natural Resources for Human Health

Natural Resources for Human Health

Año: 2022

Despite all the advantages of consuming meliponid honey, meliponiculture has notbeen sufficiently promoted in Argentina yet, and published studies on these species of bees arevery scarce. Tetragonisca fiebrigi honey (TfH) or Yateí honey has recently been incorporatedinto the Argentine food code. This study assesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesicproperties and acute toxicity by oral administration of TfH in rats. In addition, we present themelissopalynological analysis and physicochemical characterization. High-performance liquidchromatography identifies and quantifies sugars and phenolic compounds. The T. fiebrigi honeyanalyzed exhibited ABTS?+ and DPPH radical scavenging effect (IC50= 98.28 mg/ml andIC50=337.83 mg/ml, respectively). A significant reduction in hind paw edema (44.44%) wasobserved in rats pretreated with TfH honey (1000 mg/kg b.w.) 3.0 h after dosing and significantlyreduced transudative and granuloma weights at all doses tested (27.34%, 35.53% and 47.53%granuloma inhibition). The TfH honey oral administration produced analgesic responses inthe three models used (acetic acid, formalin, tail immersion). Ferulic, ellagic, coumaric, gallic,cinnamic acids and the flavonoids quercetin and hesperetin were identified and quantified.Fructose (40.9%), glucose (29.02%) and sucrose (1.06%) were the main sugars. TfH honeyadministration did not produce lethal effects or clinical signs of disease in the acute toxicity study.The results showed that T. fiebrigi honey could be a good source of bioactive natural compoundswith therapeutic and nutritional value..