title: Effect of floral sources on the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities of honeys in Taiwan.
abstract: We evaluated the antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities of honey made from different floral sources, including the medicinal herb Bidens pilosa, fruit trees, Dimocarpus longan, Litchi chinensis, and Citrus maxima, the Taiwanese endemic plant Aglaia formosana, and a multifloral forest. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the honey made from B. pilosa were significantly higher than those of the other honeys. The honey from B. pilosa also had significantly greater scavenging activities for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH·) and hydroxyl radical, and substantially more reducing power. In addition, the honey from B. pilosa showed greater antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. However, B. pilosa honey showed little inhibitory activity against IL-8 secretion, whereas the other honeys did. These findings suggest that the levels of antioxidant and antibacterial activities are attributable to the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of honeys, while the IL-8 inhibition is attributable to components other than phenols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Technology and Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Je-Ruei
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Ting-Yu
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yun-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chi-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001516:Bees / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D035264:Flowers / Q000378:metabolism*; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D016209:Interleukin-8