A Survey of the Antibacterial Activity of Some New Zealand Honeys

Abstract

To assess the variation in antibacterial activity of honey a survey was carried out on 345 samples of unpasteurized honey obtained from commercial apiarists throughout New Zealand. Most of the honeys were considered to be monofloral, from 26 different floral sources. The honeys were tested against Staphylococcus aureus in an agar well diffusion assay, with reference to phenol as a standard. Antibacterial activity was found to range from the equivalent of less than 2% (w/v) phenol to 58% (w/v) phenol, with a median of 13.6 and a standard deviation of 12.5. Neither the age of the honey samples nor whether they had been processed by the apiarist was associated with lower activity. However, the difference between floral sources in the antibacterial activity was very highly significant. Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides (A. Rich.) J. Thompson. Family: Myrtaceae), manuka (Leptospermum scoparium J. R. et G. Forst. Family: Myrtaceae), ling heather (Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull. Family: Ericaceae) and kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa Linn. f. Family: Cunoniaceae) were shown to be sources likely to give honey with high antibacterial activity. When antibacterial activity was assayed with catalase added to remove hydrogen peroxide, most of the honeys showed no detectable antibacterial activity. Only manuka and vipers bugloss (Echium vulgare L. Family: Boraginaceae) honeys showed this type of activity in a significant proportion of the samples. The high antibacterial activity of manuka honey was in many cases due entirely to this non-peroxide component.

Analysis of the flavonoid component of bioactive New Zealand mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey and the isolation, characterisation and synthesis of an unusual pyrrole

“…New Zealand mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey is noted for its non-peroxide antibacterial 23 activity (Allen, Molan & Reid, 1991). This activity has been attributed principally to the presence of 24 methylglyoxal (Adams et al, 2008 respectively for high (10 samples), low (3 samples) and zero (6 samples) antibacterial activity 39 respectively , pinocembrin with 5.1, 7.3, 4.5.0 g/100g honey for high, low and zero antibacterial 40 activity respectively, chrysin with 2.2, 2.7, 2.2 g/100g honey for high, low and zero antibacterial 41 activity respectively and galangin with 2.2, 3.4, 1.9 g/100g honey for high, low and zero 42 antibacterial activity respectively.…”

Honey: Antimicrobial Actions and Role in Disease Management

“…The findings from research with numerous samples of honey are summarized in Table 9.1 and those from research using standardized honey are summarized in Tabl.e 9.2. The data in Table 9.1 will be less representative than that in Table 9.2 of honey in general, as the studies that are in Table 9.2 have selected honeys that have antimicrobial potency that is near the median level found for honey in a survey of 345 samples of honey, from 26 different floral sources [78]. In studies with smaller numbers of samples the activity of the honeys used may have been unusually low or unusually high.…”

“…Conifer honeydew honey, with exceptionally high activity, was reported to contain a heatstable as well as a heat-sensitive antibacterial factor [50J. More direct evidence for the existence of antibacterial factors additional to hydrogen peroxide is seen in reports of activity persisting in honeys treated with catalase to remove the hydrogen peroxide activity [57,59,72,[78][79][80][81][82]. In one of these studies where substantial antibacterial activity remained it was shown by direct assay of the level of hydrogen peroxide present that the catalase had been completely effective [59J.…”

“…The possibility was investigated that the activity remaining in manuka honey after the addition of catalase was the result of a component of this honey inhibiting the enzyme, but it was shovm thatinhibltion did not occur [78]. Tnis Iype of 9.2 Nature of the Antimicrobial Activity of Honey 1237 Figure 9.1 Illustration of the rapidity of the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide (to oxygen and water) when it is exposed to the catalase activity in a small drop of blood on a pricked finger.…”

Honey dataset standard using hyperspectral imaging for machine learning problems

“…It has a total world production of 1.5 millions tonnes in 2004 and over 2 millions tonnes in 2013 [1]. The prediction of honey quality becomes very important to governments, industries and customers since some honey brands are far superior than the others; like mānuka honey from New Zealand which contains high antibacterial activity produced from New Zealand teatree (Leptospermum scoparium) [2]. This New Zealand honey has the highest price compared to the other honey brands [1].…”