Comprehensive Study on BeeBread: Palynological Analysis, Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities

Abstract

Bee bread is a bee product obtained as a result of fermentation of pollen stored by honey bees in the cells of the honeycomb. Palynological analysis, chemical composition, antioxidant activity of bee bread and its cytotoxic effect against human lung carcinoma (A549), human prostate cancer (DU 145) and human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell lines were investigated in this study. 25 plant taxa were identified with palynological analysis. Fatty acids, cyclic, aromatic, phenolic, terpenoid, diterpen and metallic complex structures were seen in GC-MS results. FTIR consequence were compatible with GC-MS results and the structure types of FTIR results were seen in the dominant compounds of GC-MS results. Radical scavenging activity (RSA) of bee bread showed inhibition variability between 20.15 ± 0.68% and 93.18 ± 0.44% depending on the concentration. In addition, the EC50 value was measured as 80.08 ± 0.10 mg/mL. Bee bread exhibited moderately cytotoxic effect at all concentrations (15.625 - 2000 µg/mL) against A549, DU 145, and SH-SY5Y cell lines. Bee bread can be used in medical fields because of it’s antioxidant and anticancer properties.

Investigation of Botanical Origin, Phenolic Compounds, Carotenoids, and Antioxidant Properties of Monofloral and Multifloral Bee Bread

“…We found that the BB samples have botanical origins comparable to those found in earlier research on the bee vegetation of Bingöl [21] . Research conducted in the same region has also revealed similar results [18,28] . One of the most significant pollen sources for honeybees is the Trifolium species, as found in this study (BB2) [14,29] .…”

“…[21] Research conducted in the same region has also revealed similar results. [18,28] One of the most significant pollen sources for honeybees is the Trifolium species, as found in this study (BB2). [14,29] Lotus spp.…”

“…[9 -11] BB has better nutritional value than bee pollen, as it contains more free amino acids and easily absorbed carbohydrates. [8] Due to its complex chemical composition, BB has been shown to possess antioxidant, [12][13][14] antimicrobial, [15] antiviral, [16] anti-inflammatory, [17] and anticancer [18] properties. However, the chemical composition of BB varies from region to region and depends greatly on plant sources, the geographic region, and the meteorological conditions of that region, as shown by different studies.…”

Total Phenolic Content, Antibacterial and Antiradical Properties of Bee Bread from Turkey

“…Ascorbic acid used as standard at the 50 µg/mL concentration had 89.76 ± 1.00% scavenging activity. According to the findings of Dervişoğlu et al (2022), the ethanolic extract from bee bread exhibited varying degrees of inhibition, ranging from 20.15 ± 0.68% to 93.18 ± 0.44%, depending on the concentration (ranging from 25 to 200 mg/mL). Akhir et al (2017) reported that 70% ethanolic and hexane extract of bee bread exhibited percentage of inhibition 93.60 ± 0.03 and 83.81 ± 0.05, respectively.…”