Antifungal activity of honey from stingless bee <i>Melipona beecheii</i> against <i>Candida albicans</i>

Hau-Yama, Nidia Esther; Magaña-Ortíz, Denis; Oliva, A.I.; Ortiz-Vázquez, Elizabeth

doi:10.1080/00218839.2019.1665247

Cited by 24 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…A small fraction of honey’s composition (2–5% of honey dry weight) contains compounds responsible for a plethora of biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial antimutagenic, antioxidant, antiproliferative and antithrombotic [ 32 , 33 ]. The antioxidant activity involves the deactivation of free radicals, and it is classified into two mechanisms: hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and electron transfer (ET).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Properties of Pine Honey Produced across Greece

Tsavea

Vardaka

Savvidaki

et al. 2022

Foods

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Pine honey is a honeydew honey produced in the East Mediterranean region (Greece and Turkey) from the secretions of the plant sucking insect Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius) (Coccoidea: Marchalini-dae) feeding on living parts of Pinus species. Nowadays, honeydew honey has attracted great attention due to its biological activities. The aim of this study was to study unifloral pine honey samples produced in Greece regarding their physicochemical parameters and antioxidant and antibacterial activity against five nosocomial and foodborne pathogens. These honeys showed physicochemical and microscopic characteristics within the legal limits, except for diastase activity, a parameter known to be highly variable, depending on various factors. Substantially higher levels of H2O2 were estimated compared to other types of honeydew honey, whereas protein content was similar. The total phenolic content was 451.38 ± 120.38 mg GAE/kg and antiradical activity ranged from 42.43 to 79.33%, while FRAP values (1.87 to 9.43 mmol Fe+2/kg) were in general higher than those reported in the literature. Various correlations could be identified among these parameters. This is the first attempt to investigate in depth the antibacterial activity of pine honey from Greece and correlate it with honey quality parameters. All tested honeys exerted variable but significant antibacterial activity, expressed as MIC and MBC values, comparable or even superior to manuka honey for some tested samples. Although honey antibacterial activity is mainly attributed to hydrogen peroxide and proteins in some cases (demonstrated by elevated MICs after catalase and Proteinase K treatment, respectively), no strong correlation between the antibacterial activity and hydrogen peroxide concentration or total protein content was demonstrated in this study. However, there was a statistically significant correlation of moisture, antioxidant and antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneuomoniae, as well as antioxidant and antibacterial activity against Salmonella ser. Typhimurium. Interestingly, a statistically significant negative correlation has been observed between diastase activity and Staphylococcus aureus antibacterial activity. Overall, our data indicate multiple mechanisms of antibacterial activity exerted by pine honey.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Properties of Pine Honey Produced across Greece

Tsavea

Vardaka

Savvidaki

et al. 2022

Foods

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“…Oral thrush is a fungal infection caused by Candida albicans overgrowth, particularly in people with compromised immunity (Hedderwick and Kauffman, 1997;Lu, 2021). Importantly, stingless bee honey has already been shown in laboratory studies to have potent antifungal activity, particularly against C. albicans (Hau-Yama et al, 2020). Therefore, it is likely that the local stingless bee honey used by traditional medicine practitioners might have antifungal activity, but this needs to be confirmed in future laboratory studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Therapeutic uses of stingless bee honey by traditional medicine practitioners in Baringo County, Kenya

Sabella¹,

Gladys²,

Bartholomew³

et al. 2022

J. Pharmacognosy Phytother.

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African traditional medicine knowledge, skills and practices have often been passed verbally from the older generation to the younger generation. However, the current traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) are rapidly aging, while the younger generation is not taking up the practice. Therefore, this study aimed at documenting the therapeutic uses of stingless bee honey among TMPs in Baringo County. Briefly, 91 TMPs were conveniently sampled and interviewed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire specifically designed to capture source of traditional medicine knowledge and skills, traditional therapeutic uses of stingless bee honey, duration of therapy and associated side effects. All the 91 TMPs knew about stingless bee honey and used it as a traditional medicinal product to treat various health-related disorders. Respiratory disorders, stomach disorders, oral thrush, wounds, measles and poisoning, were the five top-most common disorders that were commonly treated using stingless bee honey by the TMPs. The honey is also used to treat cancer, allergies and pain. The majority of the TMPs (72.34%) reported that the honey was not associated with side effects and all of them said that it was a highly effective form of traditional therapy. Duration of therapy ranged from 1-5 days (39.77%), 6-10 days (11.36%), 11-15 days (9.09%), >15 days (3.41%) until when the health condition improved. In conclusion, stingless bee honey is widely used as a traditional medicine to treat various disorders by TMPs in Baringo county. There is need for future detailed pharmacological studies on the stingless bee honey from the study area.

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“…A study of the antifungal activity of stingless bee honey by Hau-Yama et al [60] reported that honey produced by Melipona beecheii was able to inhibit growth of Candida albicans. According to the author, flavonoids present in the honey helped inhibit the fungus and the origin of the nectar and pollen collected by the stingless bee, which when added to components in the digestive tract of the bees may boost antifungal activity.…”

Section: Antimicrobialmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comprehensive Review of Stingless Bee Products: Phytochemical Composition and Beneficial Properties of Honey, Propolis, and Pollen

et al. 2022

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The stingless bee has been gaining more attention in recent years due to the uniqueness and benefits of its products. Similar to the common honeybee, stingless bees also produce honey, propolis, and pollen, which offer superior benefits for direct or indirect consumption. However, reports on the benefits of stingless bee products are scarce. This article summarises recent reports on stingless bee products. The function and application of the properties of the products such as phenolic compounds, antioxidant properties, and chemical content are elucidated. The antimicrobial properties and anticancer potential of the products are also highlighted. Future trends, potential, and uniqueness of stingless bee products are discussed. Stingless bee honey is highlighted as a superfood that exceptionally has the potential to be an active ingredient in treating cancer. Stingless bee propolis has been extensively studied for its rich beneficial chemical compounds that contribute to its antioxidant properties. Though studies on stingless bee pollen are scarce, it has been reported that it also has the potential of being a functional food.

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Antifungal activity of honey from stingless bee Melipona beecheii against Candida albicans

Cited by 24 publications

References 25 publications

Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Properties of Pine Honey Produced across Greece

Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Properties of Pine Honey Produced across Greece

Therapeutic uses of stingless bee honey by traditional medicine practitioners in Baringo County, Kenya

A Comprehensive Review of Stingless Bee Products: Phytochemical Composition and Beneficial Properties of Honey, Propolis, and Pollen

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