Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of geopropolis produced by Melipona fasciculata (Meliponinae) in flooded fields and cerrado areas of Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Geopropolis, a mixture of plant resin, wax, soil and salivary secretion, is produced by the stingless bee Melipona fasciculata. This aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of geopropolis collected from beehives in two phytogeographical regions, flooded fields and cerrado, in the municipalities of Palmeirândia and Fernando Falcão, Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil. The geopropolis compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Additionally, total phenolic content was determined with the Folin−Ciocalteu reagent and antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The four geopropolis samples varied in terms of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity and the highest values were observed for geopropolis from Fernando Falcão. Triterpenes such as cycloartane, ursane and oleanane and phenolic acids (protocatechuic acid and gallic acid) were identified in the geopropolis from Palmeirândia, while the phenolic acids, gallic and ellagic acid were the main compounds in geopropolis from Fernando Falcão. The antioxidant property of geopropolis is due to its high total phenolic content and predominance of gallic acid and ellagic acid. The results showed that the plant resources in two phytogeographical regions of Maranhão used by bees for the production of geopropolis contribute to the chemical composition and bioactivity of this product. KEYWORDS: stingless bee, polyphenols, triterpenes, phytogeographical regions.Composição química e atividade antioxidante da geoprópolis de Melipona fasciculata (Meliponinae) produzida em áreas de campos alagados e de cerrado no Estado do Maranhão, Nordeste do Brasil RESUMO Geoprópolis, uma mistura de resinas vegetais, cera, terra e secreção salivar, produzida pela abelha sem ferrão Melipona fasciculata. Este estudo investigou a composição química e a atividade antioxidante da geoprópolis coletada em colmeias em duas regiões fitogeográficas de campos alagados e de cerrado, nos municípios de Palmeirândia e Fernando Falcão, no Estado do Maranhão, Nordeste do Brasil. Os compostos da geoprópolis foram identificados por cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massas (CG/EM). Foram determinados os teores de fenólicos totais pelo reagente de Folin−Ciocalteu, e atividade antioxidante utilizando o ensaio in vitro com 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil (DPPH) e capacidade redutora do ferro (FRAP). As quatro amostras de geoprópolis apresentaram variações no teor de fenólicos totais e atividade antioxidante, as geoprópolis de Fernando Falcão, apresentaram maiores teores. Nas geoprópolis do município de Palmeirândia foram identificados, triterpenos do tipo cicloartano, ursano e oleanano e ácidos fenólicos (ácido protocatecuico e ácido gálico), enquanto que na geoprópolis de Fernando Falcão, ácidos fenólicos, ácido gálico e elágico foram os principais constituintes. A propriedade antioxidante da geoprópolis pode ser atribuíd...

Cytotoxicity and Pro-Apoptotic, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Geopropolis Produced by the Stingless Bee Melipona fasciculata Smith

“…The findings reported herein indicate that EHGV and EHGP exhibit the ability to reduce ferric ions to ferrous ions (FRAP) and free radical scavenging activity (DPPH• and ABTS• + ), suggesting significant antioxidant activity (Table 1). These results are in agreement with previously reported findings from stingless bee geopropolis [21,39,40].…”

“…Triterpenes ursane (marsformosanone), oleanane (β-amyrin) and dammaren (dipterocarpol) skeleton and glycosylated triterpene saponin (3-[Xyl]-28-Glc-phytolaccagenin) were identified in EHGV, which were not detected in EHGP (Tables 3 and 4). These findings corroborate studies concerning the chemical composition of M. fasciculata geopropolis from different areas, due to the predominance of substances of the polyphenolic classes (hydrolysable tannins and flavonoids) and triterpenes [19,21,40,58].…”

Antiviral Activity of Geopropolis Extract from Scaptotrigona Aff. Postica against Rubella Virus

“…Different chemical profile was observed among geopropolis samples from Melipona fasciculata Smith harvested in municipalities of Maranhã o State, northeastern Brazil. Cycloartane, ursane and oleanane derivatives and phenolic acids (protocatechuic acid and gallic acid) were detected in geopropolis harvested in Palmeirâ ndia, while gallic and ellagic acid were the main constituents detected in geopropolis harvested in Fernando Falcã o (Batista et al, 2016). Phenolic acids and hydrolyzable tannins (gallotannins and ellagitannins) were detected in geopropolis from Melipona fasciculata harvested in Baixada Maranhense, also in Maranhã o State (Dutra et al, 2014).…”

“…Propolis and geopropolis possess the same chemical class of compounds, which are extracted from its respective resin source. Flavonoids, terpenes, phenylpropanoids, triterpenoids, catechins and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives were detected in geopropolis (Silva et al, 2014;Dutra et al, 2014;Batista et al, 2016;Sawaya et al 2009;Ferreira et al, 2017). A pyrrolizidine alkaloid derived from retronecine was detected in geopropolis from stingless bee S. postica (Coelho et al, 2015).…”

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity of Pollen Extract Collected by Scaptotrigona affinis postica: in silico, in vitro, and in vivo Studies

“…Although M. fasciculata is the stingless bee where most research involving the biotechnological potential of this species is concentrated [7][8][9][10][11], other species such as S. aff. postica can be the focus of innovative research being an important species with potential for chemical and biological exploration.…”