Honeybee Pollen Extracts Reduce Oxidative Stress and Steatosis in Hepatic Cells

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Additional therapies using functional foods and dietary supplements have been investigated and used in clinical practice, showing them to be beneficial. Honeybee pollen from Chile has shown a large concentration of phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activity. In this work, we characterized twenty-eight bee pollen extracts from the central zone of Chile according to botanical origin, phenolic profile, quercetin concentration, and antioxidant activity (FRAP and ORAC-FL). Our results show a statistically significant positive correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Selected samples were evaluated on the ability to reverse the steatosis in an in vitro cell model using Hepa1-6 cells. The pollen extracts protected Hepa1-6 cells against oxidative damage triggered by 2,2′-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)derived free radicals. This effect can be credited to the ability of the phenolic compounds present in the extract to protect the liver cells from chemical-induced injury, which might be correlated to their free radical scavenging potential. Additionally, bee pollen extracts reduce lipid accumulation in a cellular model of steatosis. In summary, our results support the antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and anti-steatosis effect of bee pollen in an in vitro model.

Potential Activity of Abrantes Pollen Extract: Biochemical and Cellular Model Studies

“…scavenging potential, mild correlations were found between this assay, isorhamnetin acetyl hexoside (r = 0.5385, p < 0.05, n = 1), quercetin 3-O-rutinoside (r = 0.4862, p < 0.05, n = 1), and quercetin hexoside (r = 0.5385, p < 0.05, n = 1), while negative correlations were verified between this experiment, total phenolics (r = −0.8197, p < 0.05, n = 1), flavonols (r = −0.7693, p < 0.05, n = 1), quercetin 7-glucoside-3-O-rutinoside (r > −0.9354, p < 0.05, n = 1), and quercetin derivative 1 (r = −0.9961, p < 0.05, n = 1), and also with DPPH • (r = −0.9233, p < 0.05, n = 1) and • NO (r = −0.8330, respectively, p < 0.05, n = 1) assays. The obtained correlations are in accordance with others works [4,29,32].…”

“…The abundance of flavonols in pollen, namely quercetin derivatives, is in accordance with previous reports, being considered the main reason for the biological potential exhibited by this matrix, including abilities to capture free radicals and reactive species, chelate metals, inhibit cytochrome P450 action, and increase antioxidant defenses [28,29].…”

Bioactives from Bee Products and Accompanying Extracellular Vesicles as Novel Bioactive Components for Wound Healing

“…The highest number of flavonol glycosides was identified in the sample with a predominance of the Rosaceae pollen type. The variability of TPC, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity was also noticed among honeybee pollen samples from the central zone of Chile of different botanical origin [ 37 ]. For example, values of antioxidant capacity, evaluated by ferric reducing antioxidant power, were between 19 ± 2 and 194 ± 7 µmol TRE/g bee pollen.…”

Bee and Beekeeping Research in a Rapidly Changing World: Advancements and Challenges

“…As Academic Editors of Molecules , in the present article, we selected twelve carefully reviewed articles on bee and beekeeping research published in this international journal [ 6 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. In the first subset of selected articles, recent advances in the field of pesticide detection in beekeeping products are presented [ 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”

“…A further research field well covered in Molecules in recent years is the evaluation of novel natural products to fight honeybee pathogens and parasites [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Finally, major attention has been devoted to the chemical, biological and nutraceutical properties of beekeeping products, with special reference to bee-collected pollen [ 6 , 26 , 27 ], venom [ 28 ], propolis and honey [ 29 , 30 ].…”