Content uploaded by Robert Chlebo
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Robert Chlebo
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
The antimicrobial activity of honey, bee pollen loads and beeswax from Slovakia
Abstract and Figures
The aim of this study was to test the antimicrobial activity of propolis, bee pollen loads and beeswax samples collected in the year 2009 from two locations in Slovakia to pathogenic bacteria, microscopic fungi and yeasts. The antimi-crobial effect of the bee product samples were tested using the agar well diffusion method. For extraction, 99.9% and 70% methanol (aqueous, v/v) and 96% and 70% ethanol (aqueous, v/v) were used. Five different strains of bacteria, i.e. Listeria monocytogenes ccM 4699, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ccM 1960; Staphylococcus aureus ccM 3953; Salmonella enterica ccM 4420, Escherichia coli ccM 3988, three different strains of microscopic fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and seven different strains of yeasts Candida krusei, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, Geotrichum candidum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, were tested. After 48 hours S. aureus was the bacterium most sensitive to the 70% ethanol extract of pollen, A. fumigatus was the most sensitive microscopic fungus (70% ethanol) and C. glabrata the most sensitive yeast (70% methanol). Microorganisms most sensitive to propolis extracts were L. monocytogenes, A. fumigatus (70% ethanol) and G. candidum (70% methanol). Most sensitive to beeswax extracts were E. coli, A. niger and C. tropicalis.
Figures - uploaded by Robert Chlebo
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Robert Chlebo
Content may be subject to copyright.
... Además, se ha descrito que pueden bloquear la bomba efflux, la cual es un tipo de mecanismo con el cual la bacteria es capaz de generar resistencia 11,12 . Cabe destacar que se ha descrito en el polen derivado de plantas nativas chilenas posee un contenido fenólico importante 13 y, paralelamente se ha descrito en otros países que la cantidad fenólica total se relaciona directamente con la actividad antimicrobiana 14,15 . ...
... De ahí nace la idea de este estudio, donde se evalúa la actividad antibacteriana de extractos etanólicos del polen apícola en las bacterias Escherichia Coli, Staphylococcus Aureus meticilina resistente, y Bacillus Subtilis. Las tres bacterias han sido utilizadas 31 2021, Revista Confluencia, 4(2), 30-35 para evaluar la actividad antibacteriana en estudios de distintos países [14][15][16] . Hipótesis: Los extractos etanólicos de polen corbicular chileno de la V y VI región presentan actividad antibacteriana, la cual está relacionada con la concentración total de fenoles. ...
... En este estudio se comprobó que la extracción de fenoles, utilizando etanol 70% como solvente, permite obtener un mayor contenido fenólico que utilizando agua destilada como solvente, lo que se condice con la literatura 15 . Debido a los bajos contenidos fenólicos que se obtuvieron en la extracción acuosa, se decidió no utilizarlos para caracterizar la actividad antibacteriana del polen (Tabla 1). ...
Introducción: La resistencia antibiótica constituye uno de los mayores problemas en la medicina actual, por lo que surge la necesidad de buscar nuevas alternativas. El polen corbicular, generado por las abejas melíferas al mezclar polen de flores con secreciones bucales propias, posee gran cantidad de polifenoles. Se ha descrito que los polifenoles presentan actividad antibacteriana. Estos son capaces de interactuar con la pared bacteriana y destruir su integridad. Chile presenta una rica actividad apícola, y además posee una gran variedad de pólenes distintos debido a su flora variada y sus diversos biotopos. Hipótesis: Los extractos etanólicos de polen corbicular chileno de la V y VI región presentan actividad antibacteriana, la cual está relacionada con la concentración total de fenoles. Diseño: Se realizaron extracciones de fenoles totales con dos solventes (agua destilada y etanol 70%) a 8 muestras de pólenes obtenidos de la V y VI región de Chile. Se caracterizaron en función de su contenido fenólico total mediante el método de Folin Ciocalteau y su actividad antibacteriana frente a E. coli , S. aureus y B. subtilis mediante el porcentaje de inhibición. Resultados: Las extracciones etanólicas presentaron contenido fenólico mayor que las acuosas. Los extractos etanólicos presentaron actividad antibacteriana frente a las tres bacterias. No se obtuvo una relación entre el contenido fenólico y la actividad antibacteriana. Conclusión: El polen corbicular utilizado presenta actividad antibacteriana independientemente de las concentraciones fenólicas, por lo que es necesario mayores estudios para identificar la variable responsable.
... A similar result was observed for BP collected from a region of Chile, which showed antibacterial activity only against S. pyogenes and did not exhibit activity against E. coli, S. aureus, or P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, E. coli was the most sensitive strain to the 70% ethanol BP extract but was resistant to the 96% ethanol extract, confirming that bacterial strains are solvent-and concentration-specific [144]; f. ...
Hive products, encompassing honey, propolis, bee venom, royal jelly, and pollen, are recognized for their antimicrobial and therapeutic properties. This review examines their chemical composition, explores their mechanisms of action, and discusses their potential applications in both human and veterinary medicine, particularly in addressing the challenge of antimicrobial resistance. This study utilized a comprehensive literature search strategy, gathering data from Google Scholar, MEDLINE PubMed, SciELO, and SCOPUS databases. Relevant search terms were employed to ensure a thorough retrieval of the pertinent literature. Honey, rich in bioactive compounds such as hydrogen peroxide and methylglyoxal, effectively disrupts biofilms and combats multi-drug-resistant pathogens, showing promise in treating a range of infections. Propolis, with its flavonoids and phenolic acids, demonstrates synergistic effects when used in conjunction with antibiotics. Bee venom, particularly its component melittin, exhibits antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties, although further research is needed to address toxicity concerns. Pollen and royal jelly demonstrate broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, which is particularly relevant to animal health. Existing pre-clinical and clinical data support the therapeutic potential of these hive products. Hive products represent a vast and largely untapped natural resource for combating antimicrobial resistance and developing sustainable therapies, particularly in the field of veterinary medicine. However, challenges remain due to the inherent variability in their composition and the lack of standardized protocols for their preparation and application. Further research is essential to fully elucidate their mechanisms of action, optimize formulations for enhanced efficacy, and establish standardized protocols to ensure their safe and effective clinical use.
... The literature highlights that the antibacterial activity of bee pollen has been actively studied in recent years. Kacaniova et al. [47] reported a positive effect of bee pollen from Slovakia on antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. enterica, and E. coli. Additionally, studies in various countries have identified antibacterial activity of bee pollen against S. aureus, E. faecalis, P. aeruginosa, S. enterica, and S. pyogenes [18,37,48,49]. ...
Background/Objectives: A variety of phytochemicals from different plants are collected by bees into bee pollen granules. This research focused on evaluating the effects of lactic acid fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis on the antibacterial activity of bee pollen and its interaction with antibiotics. There is limited knowledge regarding the interactions between treated bee pollen extracts and antibiotics, and this study contributes to the field by providing new insights into the antibacterial activity of pollen subjected to eight distinct treatment methods. Methods: Bee pollen’s bacterial fermentation using a Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus culture and spontaneous fermentation were performed. Bee pollen hydrolysis was performed using commercial enzymes, including enzyme mixtures as well as pure enzymes. The agar well diffusion assay was employed to assess the antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium, as well as their interaction with antibiotics (ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, oxytetracycline dihydrate, and erythromycin). Results: This study showed an enhancement in bee pollen’s antibacterial activity after both fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis. The increase varied with the pollen’s origin, treatment type, and culture used for antimicrobial tests. More than 77% of bee pollen extracts demonstrated a synergistic effect with antibiotics across all tested bacterial strains, while antagonistic interactions were comparatively rare. Conclusions: The applied treatment methods can improve the antibacterial properties of bee pollen. Bee pollen extracts, in combination with antibiotics, can enhance their effectiveness. These findings provide new insights into the potential use of bee pollen in combating bacterial infections.
... The content of caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitooleic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic fatty acids in total lipids, which have antibacterial and antifungal activity. The maximum antibacterial and antifungal activity is shown by monounsaturated (palmitoleic and oleic) and especially polyunsaturated (linoleic and linolenic) fatty acids (Kacániová et al., 2012;Coraça-Huber et al., 2021) and antimicrobial activity (Mirbagheri Firoozabad & Mohammadi Nasr, 2022). ...
In the literature, there is only fragmentary data on the content of heavy metals and certain forms of fatty acids in freshly built bee combs (tongues) in different territories of the Carpathian region. The work aimed to determine the transfer coefficients of heavy metals from bee combs and abdominal tissues to bee combs and the fatty acid content of total lipids in freshly built bee combs (tongues) in different territories of the Carpathian region. Experimental apiaries of clinically healthy honey bees of the Carpathian breed were selected based on private apiary farms in the mountain, foothills, and forest-steppe territories of the Lviv region. The content of heavy metals in bee pollen, abdominal tissues of honey bees, and freshly built bee combs were studied to determine the transition coefficients. The content of heavy metals in selected samples of bee pollen, abdominal tissues of honey bees, and freshly built bee combs was determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the fatty acids of total lipids in the combs were determined using a gas-liquid chromatographic apparatus. It was established that in the direction from the mountain to the foothills and further to the forest-steppe territories of the Carpathian region, the content of Ferrum, Zinc, Cuprum, Cobalt, Chromium, Nicol, Plumbum, and Cadmium in bee pollen (pollen), tissues of the abdomen of honey bees and in freshly built bee combs increases (tongues). In the above direction, the transfer coefficients of Ferrum, Zinc, Copper, Chromium, Nicol, and especially Plumbum and Cadmium from bee pollen to bee combs increase strongly; Ferrum, Zinc, Cobalt, Nicol and especially Lead and Cadmium from abdominal tissues. The total content of esterified forms of fatty acids in bee combs (tongues) obtained from beehives located in the foothills and especially the forest-steppe area of the Carpathian region is lower than in combs selected from beehives located in the mountainous area. The content of fatty acids of total lipids, which are characterized by antimicrobial activity, in freshly built bee combs (tongues) obtained from beehives located in the foothills and forest-steppe areas of the Carpathian region, compared to combs selected from beehives located in the mountainous area, is lower. Freshly built bee combs (tongues) can be bioindicators of the ecological state of the environment. In the future, it is necessary to establish the wax productivity of worker bees in different territories of the Carpathian region and search for ways to obtain high-quality honey in the above region.
... The HCB used in this research is a beehive extract derived from beeswax. Several studies have demonstrated its antimicrobial effectiveness against bacteria such as S. aureus, S. enterica, C. albicans, A. niger, and E. coli [4,14,15]. The potential to treat infections locally, at the surgical site where bacteria can enter and spread, is especially alluring when using biomaterial with intrinsic antimicrobial properties in clinical practice. ...
In this work, a carbonated hydroxyapatite/honeycomb/polyethylene oxide (CHA/HCB/PEO) scaffold was fabricated using the freeze-drying method. The CHA bioceramic component was synthesized from oyster shells using the precipitation method. HCB and PEO act as reinforcing materials that influence the physicochemical properties of the scaffold and as antibacterial agents on the scaffold. The CHA produced was B-type, confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and x-ray diffractometer (XRD) spectra of the CHA. FTIR analysis of the scaffold demonstrated the presence of functional group vibrations originating from PEO and HCB, affirming the successful application of the freeze-drying method, which preserved the polymer content within the scaffold during the evaporation process, thus facilitating pore formation. The XRD results show that a lower CHA concentration is associated with a smaller size of the scaffold crystallites, potentially inducing dislocations favorable for cellular proliferation. The porosity of the formed scaffold is in the ideal range of >60% with CHA concentration of 5 and 10 wt%. The size of the pores that formed on the scaffold was 3–69 μm, classifying them within the micropore category. The in vitro test results in the form of an antibacterial test revealed that the scaffold could inhibit S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. Notably, a scaffold consisting of 10 wt% of CHA had a larger zone of inhibition diameter, 10.083 ± 0.104 for S. aureus and 10.517 ± 0.247 mm for E. coli . The MTT assay and cell morphology MC3T3E1 results in the scaffold show that the CHA/HCB/PEO scaffold is non-cytotoxic and can facilitate cells to attach and proliferate. The cell viability of the scaffold was 96.23% at the concentration of 31.25 μg ml ⁻¹ , and the IC 50 value was at 16144 μg ml ⁻¹ . Therefore, CHA/HCB/PEO composites can be an alternative material in scaffold fabrication for bone tissue engineering.
Background
Bee pollen is a hive derived product formed from the agglomeration of flower pollen, nectar and bee saliva. It's hailed for its potential health benefits such as antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect.
Objective
The present work aims to assess the Algerian bee pollen quality by highlighting their phenolic composition, their antioxidant, antimicrobial, enzymatic and antiviral activities, in addition to wound healing and Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) protection effect.
Methods
In this study, fourteen Algerian bee pollen 70% ethanol extracts samples were analyzed to determine their phenolic profils and biological activities. Thus, Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with Ultraviolet Detection RP-HPLC-UV is done, antioxidant, antibacterial, enzymatic, wound healing, DNA protection and anti-Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (anti- HSV-1) tests are carried out.
Results
The samples showed good antioxidant activity, variation in phenolic composition, selective antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacteria strains (Escherichia coli “E.coli”, Salmonella typhimurium and Yersinia pestis), inhibition to acetylcholinesterase and α-glucosidase and activation of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD). The samples P4, P7, P8 and P14 show high wound healing potential while P6 and P10 have DNA protection effect. Only P7 have anti-HSV-1 activity.
Conclusion
The different biological activities varied according to the phytochemical composition of each sample and not according to the harvest region. That is confirmed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and different correlations relationships between activities and bioactive compounds where it can be seen that the samples were grouped according to their composition and not by the region of the harvest.
This book was written to fill the gap in biochemistry courses taught in associate and undergraduate programs. The topics of pollen, bee bread, beeswax and bee venom in this book can be used as a resource in associate and undergraduate programs. I hope this book will be a resource for instructors and students.
These days, a growing consumer demand and scientific interest can be observed for nutraceuticals of natural origin, including apiculture products. Due to the growing emphasis on environmental protection, extensive research has been conducted on the pesticide and heavy metal contamination of bee products; however, less attention is devoted on other food safety aspects. In our review, scientific information on the less‐researched food safety hazards of honey, bee bread, royal jelly, propolis, and beeswax are summarized. Bee products originating from certain plants may inherently contain phytotoxins, like pyrrolizidine alkaloids, tropane alkaloids, matrine alkaloids, grayanotoxins, gelsemium alkaloids, or tutin. Several case studies evidence that bee products can induce allergic responses to sensitive individuals, varying from mild to severe symptoms, including the potentially lethal anaphylaxis. Exposure to high temperature or long storage may lead to the formation of the potentially toxic 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural. Persistent organic pollutants, radionuclides, and microplastics can potentially be transferred to bee products from contaminated environmental sources. And lastly, inappropriate beekeeping practices can lead to the contamination of beekeeping products with harmful microorganisms and mycotoxins. Our review demonstrates the necessity of applying good beekeeping practices in order to protect honeybees and consumers of their products. An important aim of our work is to identify key knowledge gaps regarding the food safety of apiculture products.
In Central Europe and other temperate regions the lipophilic bee hive product propolis normally originates from the bud exudate of poplar trees that is collected by the bees. Based on bee observations, various other sources have been discussed in particular for tropical regions, but in only few cases the origin has been proved by analytical methods. We have analyzed propolis samples from managed honey-bees as well as from feral bee colonies in the Sonoran Desert. Propolis collected in hives out of flight reach of poplars contained flavonoid aglycones and other phenolics that point to specific plants as the source of propolis in this area, namely Ambrosia deltoidea and Encelia farinosa.
During ancient times, people throughout the world commonly used pollen, praising it for its goodness and medicinal properties. Some of the reasons the ancients used bee-pollen are why we use it today. To date no scientific evidence has been cited to disprove the claimed properties of bee-pollen.
The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity, phenolic content and antibacterial activity of pollen extracts obtained with different concentrations of ethanol. Each extraction condition (ethanol solutions from 40 to 90%) had a different effect in the phenolic compounds content. Although, the pollen extract obtained at 60, 70 and 80% of ethanol showed relatively higher levels of phenolic compounds (>10 mg/g) and did not present statistical significant difference between the extraction conditions. The amount of total phenolics ranged from 3.6 to 8.1 and 6.6 to 10.9 mg GAE/g for Alagoas state and Parana state pollen, respectively. The higher value for antioxidant activity index was 83.30% for the pollen from Alagoas state and 81.15 % for Parana state pollen. The highest degree of antioxidant activity was found in the extraction at 60% of ethanol solution for Parana state pollen, which also showed the highest concentration of polyphenol compounds. Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited by the ethanolic extract of Alagoas state pollen in all the concentrations of solvent, except the ethanolic extract of pollen at 90%. The extract at 60% of ethanol solution (Parana sample) inhibited Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella sp.
Ten samples of different colors of dried bee pollen pellets were collected in the south region of Brazil and analyzed for: moisture, ash, lipids, proteins, total carotenoids, beta-carotene, vitamin C and botanical evaluation. The botanical origin of the pollen pellets was obtained using microscopic pollen identification of color-dependent subsamples. The results obtained had an average of 7.4% moisture, 20% proteins, 6% lipids, 2.2% ash, absence of vitamin C and beta-carotene and presence of total carotenoids. The color of the pollen pellets was not determinant for taxa identification due to the fact that most of the pellets named as monofloral samples presented two or more botanical taxa. The most frequent plant families from a total of 17 taxa identified were Arecaceae, Asteraceae and Myrtaceae. In conclusion, due to the intraspecific differences in compounds from the taxa collected, the data obtained using chemical and microscopic analysis can play an important role in the quality control of dry bee pollen pellets if the samples are mostly monofloral.
The antioxidant activities of methanol extracts of propolis were tested in natural olive oil stored at 60 degreesC. The concentration of extracts in olive oil varied from 0.02 to 0.08%. Extracts at 0.06 and 0.08% concentrations had better antioxidant activity as compared to butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) at 0.01% levels. The greatest antioxidant activities were exhibited by propolis balsam extract at 0.08% levels. It can be said that the antioxidant activity of propolis increases with concentration. This product is considered as a new source of natural antioxidants.
Biological activities of different propolis extracts in Korea were examined for the evaluation of quality comparison with that from Brazil (BZ). Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of propolis extracts from Yeosu (YS) and Cheorwon (CW), whose E1cm1% values were higher than BZ, were also shown to be more aboudant. The extracts of YS and CW also showed strong antioxidant activities, using the linoleic acid peroxidation and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging activity. However, the extract from BZ had less active antioxidant activity on linoleic acid peroxidation and DPPH free radical-scavenging activity of less than 70% than other extracts. The DPPH free radical-scavenging activity seems to relate with the antioxidant activity of linoleic acid peroxidation. The propolis with antioxidant activity also had DPPH free radical-scavenging activity. The extracts of YS and CW had effective antimicrobial activities on Staphilococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium and Candida albicans. Strong antioxidant, radical-scavenging and antimicrobial activities of YS and CW seemed to relate with high E1cm1%values, total polyphenol, and flavonoid contents.
Propolis is a resinous hive product collected by honeybees from various plant sources. It is a popular folk medicine possessing a broad spectrum of biological activities. It has also been used as a health drink in various Asian, European and American countries. Several groups of researchers have focused their attention on the biological activity of propolis and its active principles. Many scientific articles are published every year in different international journals related to the pharmacological properties of propolis. This review article compiles recent findings (since 1995) on the pharmacological properties of propolis focusing on its antihepatotoxic, antitumour, antioxidative, antimicrobial and antiinflammatory properties. The possible mechanism of action of propolis as well as the active compounds are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.