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Pollen analysis of honey samples from the Peruvian Amazon
Abstract
Melissopalynological studies are useful to determine the floral contents and geographical origin of honey samples. The great botanical diversity in the Amazon allows bees to produce honey that is highly valuable in Peruvian culture. However, pollen analyses and labels that provide information on honey contents are scarce; therefore, people do not know what types of honey they are consuming and paying for, especially when many Amazonian honeys are traditionally referred to as being monofloral honey types with medicinal properties. For this reason, we conducted a melissopalynological study to evaluate the pollen content of 14 honey samples from lowland and highland regions of the Peruvian Amazon. A total of 40 pollen types from 28 families were identified and most of the samples were multifloral. Pollen from Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Citrus were very frequent in the samples while Myrciaria dubia, Trema and Paullinia were frequently found in the samples. Pollen from Bombax, Gouania and Mimosa were infrequent within the samples. Pollen concentration class values per 10 g of honey varied from very rich to very poor and a low index of similarity in pollen content was observed between the samples, but there was a higher similarity between samples that came from the same region. Most of the identified floral sources in the honey are related to taxa that are traditionally used for medicinal purposes. The bioactive compounds of the nectar of these plants may be producing the ‘healthier’ properties that people associate with Amazonian honeys in Peru. This pollen study provides important information on the floral source preferences of bees and on honey contents, which can be used by traditional beekeepers and the public in general. Melissopalynological analyses are also useful for promoting the production and consumption of high-quality local honeys from the Peruvian Amazon.
A análise polínica de produtos da colmeia é uma das linhas de atuação do Grupo de Pesquisa Insecta desde o ano 2000, com resultados promissores e inserindo na pesquisa científica relacionada à melissopalinologia alunos de iniciação científica, mestrado e doutorado, além de pós-doutorandos. O grupo conta com publicação em periódicos nacionais e internacionais, onde são divulgados resultados de estudos de fontes poliníferas e nectaríferas exploradas por abelhas sociais como Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 e Meliponini (Melipona spp.), sendo a identificação da flora explorada por estas abelhas, realizada em sua maioria por meio de estudos palinológico dos produtos da colmeia. O livro “Atlas polínico de plantas de interesse apícola/meliponícola para o Recôncavo Baiano” é resultado de um amplo espectro de estudos relacionados à análise polínica de produtos da colmeia de abelhas sociais realizado pelos autores, especialmente os projetos de iniciação cientifica e mestrado desenvolvidos no período de 2005 a 2009, que contribuíram de forma expressiva para coleção de referências de grãos de pólen (palinoteca) de plantas de interesse apícola e meliponícola do Núcleo de Estudo dos Insetos da Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia. A apresentação da descrição polínica de táxons das principais famílias apontadas como potenciais para apicultura e meliponicultura na região do Recôncavo Baiano, contribuirá na identificação de tipos polínicos em produtos da colmeia em estudos futuros. Comumente, estudos relacionados à identificação da flora visitada pela abelha a partir de seus produtos (mel, pólen apícola, samburá, própolis e geoprópolis) utilizam a análise polínica. Porém, a identificação dos tipos polínicos (conjunto de grãos pólen) é um trabalho que requer treinamento, conhecimento e dedicação, sendo necessário consultas a palinoteca (coleção de grão pólen de referências), atlas e catálogos polínicos, bem como outras publicações pertinentes. Nesse sentido, este livro apresenta um conteúdo relevante e que pode auxiliar muitos trabalhos de pesquisa, contribuindo para identificação da flora visitada por abelhas sociais, especialmente no Recôncavo Baiano.10.35587/brj.ed.0000891
Significance
Large floristic datasets that purportedly represent the diversity and composition of the Amazon tree flora are being widely used to draw conclusions about the patterns and evolution of Amazon plant diversity, but these datasets are fundamentally flawed in both their methodology and the resulting content. We have assembled a comprehensive dataset of Amazonian seed plant species from published sources that includes falsifiable data based on voucher specimens identified by taxonomic specialists. This growing list should serve as a basis for addressing the long-standing debate on the number of plant species in the Amazon, as well as for downstream ecological and evolutionary analyses aimed at understanding the origin and function of the exceptional biodiversity of the vast Amazonian forests.
In order to determine the pollen spectrum of honey produced at Cuyo Grande, Sacred Valley of the Incas, Cusco, through pollen analysis and to identify sources of pollen and nectar used by Apis mellifera L., 32 honey samples were studied from two harvests corresponding to the beekeeping season 2012 - 2013. In all cases acetolized microscopic preparations were carried out, pollen types obtained were identified by comparison with a reference collection. 53 pollen types were identified from the harvest of October - November and 103 from the harvest of March - April. Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Lamiaceae were the families which contributed the largest number of pollen types, Escallonia sp. and Eucalyptus sp., were main sources of pollen and nectar, the same that constituted monofloral honeys, due to their maximum flowering moments and the intense activity of honeybees observed in them. Pollen types such as Ambrosia arborescens Miller, Berberis sp., Cantua sp., Colletia spinosissima J.F. Gmel., Nicotiana tomentosa Ruiz & Pav., and Ranunculus sp., in combination with Escallonia sp. and Eucalyptus sp., are suggested as geographical markers. The composition of secondary and minor pollen was similar for both harvests, with Brassicaceae, Baccharis sp and Senecio sp as the most important taxa, due to their wide distribution and their broad and abundant flowering periods.
The pollen contents of 34 Apis mellifera honey samples from the Quilombola Community of Porto Velho (Vale do Ribeira, state of São Paulo, Brazil) were studied in order to identify their botanical and geographical origin. A total number of 114 pollen types distributed in 43 families were identified. Fabaceae pollen types were the most diverse (20). Dominant pollen was observed in 27 samples. The dominant type Piper was found in 21 samples and Zanthoxylum, Mikania cordifolia, Cupania oblongifolia, Cecropia, Attalea and Poaceae only in one sample. The quantitative analysis revealed a predominance of very-high pollen concentrations in the samples (Category IV, 35.3%). A second frequency of occurrence analysis revealed 67 pollen types from 26 botanical families from nectariferous species. Fabaceae was also the family with the largest number of nectariferous pollen types (15), followed by Sapindaceae, Asteraceae (six pollen types each), and Euphorbiaceae (five types). Dominant pollen occurred in 19 samples. The main nectariferous sources of pollen in the present study were: Arecaceae (Attalea and Euterpe/Syagrus), Asteraceae (Mikania cordifolia), Fabaceae (Machaerium), Rutaceae (Zanthoxylum), and Sapindaceae (Cupania oblongifolia). The honey was classified as predominantly heterofloral (67.6%). Monofloral honey from Mikania cordifolia, Machaerium, Zanthoxylum, Cupania oblongifolia, Euterpe/Syagrus and Attalea were also identified. The geographical origin demonstrates Apis mellifera using nectariferous sources available from the Atlantic Rainforest in the south and southeast of Brazil, as well as in the brushwood, secondary forest and field plants. This is one of the first works about melissopalynology in the Vale do Ribeira Region.
Thirty chestnut and twenty-six of floral honeys were collected from different regions of Turkey. The amounts of phenolic compounds in honeys were determined by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection. The antioxidant capacities were determined by ABTS and CHROMAC methods. The total phenolic content of honeys were determined by spectrophotometric method using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Caffeic, protocatechuic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids are the major phenolic compounds with the contents of 44.52, 17.48, and 21.50 mg/kg, respectively in chestnut honeys. Chestnut honeys exhibited the higher antioxidant and better antimicrobial activities, and than the floral honeys. Floral honeys contain similar amounts of propolis flavonoids such as pinocembrin, chrysin, and galangin. The results show that these flavonoids can be used as chemical markers in honey samples. Honey is an important natural product that contains major compounds including glucose and fructose and minor components such as amino acids, organic acids, enzymes, vitamins, proteins, phytochemical substances mainly flavonoids and other phenolic compounds. Plants are important sources of natural compounds that contain polyphenolic derivatives such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. These bioactive compounds can be transferred from plants to honey. Polyphenolic compounds were recognized as the major components responsible for health-promoting properties of honey. This article evaluates the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and phenolic compounds of chestnut and floral honeys. The chemical content and biological properties of honey have been studied extensively in many but there are a few studies in our knowledge about the determination of phenolic compounds in chestnut honey.
Con el fin de determinar como varia el espectro polinico de la miel, obtenida en colmenares ubicados en la localidad de Huaran, Cusco, durante la temporada apicola 2012 – 2013, e identificar las fuentes de polen y nectar usadas por Apis mellifera L ., se analizaron en total 75 muestras de miel procedentes de 15 colmenas, en las que se realizaron cosechas sucesivas correspondientes a 5 periodos bimestrales de la temporada apicola: periodo I (julio – agosto 2012), periodo II (setiembre – octubre 2012), periodo III (noviembre – diciembre 2012), periodo IV (enero – febrero 2013) y periodo V (marzo – abril 2013); en todos los casos se realizaron preparaciones microscopicas acetolizadas. Los morfotipos polinicos obtenidos fueron reconocidos por comparacion con una palinoteca de referencia. El numero total de morfotipos polinicos determinados fue de 113: 40 en el periodo I, 55 en el periodo II, 77 en el periodo III, 75 en el periodo IV y 81 en el periodo V; las familias Asteraceae, Fabaceae y Lamiaceae aportaron mayor numero de morfotipos. A traves de un Analisis de Correspondencia, se evidencio una clara relacion entre las especies visitadas por la abeja melifera y los periodos de produccion, siendo las principales fuentes de polen y nectar Escallonia resinosa (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers., y Eucalyptus sp. La composicion del polen secundario y de menor importancia, fue similar durante toda la temporada. Se destacan Brassicaceae, Prunus sp . y Trifolium sp ., en concordancia a sus amplios periodos de floracion
RESUMEN La flora de un lugar, determina la producción apícola e influye sobre características nutricionales y organolépticas de la miel de abejas. Para ello, se identificaron y cla-sificaron taxonómicamente las especies florales con potencial apícola del apiario de la Universidad de Nariño, y se determinó la composición nutricional de la miel producida. Se utilizó la metodología de transecto radial y matriz de evaluación de recursos naturales; además, de obtener información de la comunidad. Las varia-blesflora apícola y determinación de recursos alimentarios (néctar, polen néctar/ polen)se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva y correlación de Pearson en-tre la presencia y la participación de las plantas. Igualmente, se determinaron-cambios en la composición de la miel en diferentes épocas, mediante un diseño completamente al azar. Las especies vegetales de mayor importancia identificadas según la clasificación binomial fueron Brassica rapa, Taraxacum officinale, Trifo-lium repens, Fragaria chiloensis, Eucalyptus globulus. La composición de la miel de abejas no presentó significancia (p>0,05) en las distintas épocas del año; sin embargo, se destacan los valores promedios de sólidos totales: 83,45 g/100 g, proteína: 0,40 g/100 g, azúcar reductor: 69,1 g/100 g, calcio: 5,5 mg/100 g, Recibido para evaluación: 1 de Octubre de 2015. Aprobado para publicación: 9 de Diciembre del 2015.
Colour is one of the features that differentiate the types of honeys, perhaps the attribute that has the most power of attractiveness to consumers, who tend to value light honeys. Nevertheless, there is no research to date showing the botanical origin of light honeys from Piauí, and neither separating them from the dark ones, using the pollen spectrum. Aiming to characterise botanical origin from pollen grains, samples of light honey produced in the state of Piauí, and also investigating the possibility of differentiation between light and dark honey through pollen spectrum analysis, 26 samples classified as light by spectrophotometry (≤50 mm Pfund), along with six dark samples, were acetolised with adaptation of solution/rinsing with ethanol. Following that, the pollen residue was analysed under an optical microscope. The obtained data were subjected to ordination through a principal coordinate analysis and a detrended correspondence analysis. A total of 151 pollen types were identified in samples of light honeys, representing 41 botanical families, three of which are noteworthy: Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae and Rubiaceae. Among the types present in 50% or more of the samples, and the highest relative frequency, the following are significant: Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, Mimosa pudica, Mimosa tenuiflora/verrucosa, Pityrocarpa moniliformis and Syagrus. Of the 26 analyzed samples of light honey, 13 were considered monofloral: seven of P. moniliformes, five of M. caesalpiniifolia and one of M. pudica. The ordering analysis revealed the existence of groups between light honeys, two of which are unrelated to dark honeys. Plants of the Fabaceae family, especially the genera Mimosa and Pityrocarpa, contribute greatly to the production of light honeys in Piauí State, Brazil.
Since the beginning of honey production, certain honey types have been favored because they taste better, are better for cooking or do not rapidly crystallize. Thus, they are preferred over others, are in high demand and are sold at higher prices. The pollen of 37 honey samples from East Texas was examined. Pollen was recovered from the honey by using an alcohol-dilution method. Overall, 431 taxa identified into 61 families, 104 genera and 85 species were found in the samples. The number of taxa per sample varied from 17–52. Half of the samples contained 31–40 taxa, indicating a high diversity in botanical origin. Three taxa were found in >50% of the samples and are the most important: Berchemia scandens, Salix nigra and Toxicodendron radicans. Berchemia scandens was found in 89% of the samples and was a predominant type in three samples and an important secondary type in 14. Both Salix nigra and Toxicodendron radicans pollen occurred in 83% of the samples and neither occurred as a predominant or secondary type. Three samples were Berchemia scandens unifloral honey. By examining the pollen in honey, it can determined which habitats honeybees visit, which plants honeybees use as food, if they visit row crops and orchards and their role in pollination. In order to differentiate honey from the United States of America (USA) from honey produced in other countries, the honey from each state must be analyzed. Only by analyzing the pollen in the honey of the USA can it be reliably differentiated from foreign honey that is being sold as produced in the USA.
The phenolic acid profile of honey depends greatly on its botanical and geographical origin. In this study, we carried out a quantitative analysis of phenolic acids in the ethyl acetate extract of 12 honeys collected from various regions in Greece. Our findings indicate that protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid are the major phenolic acids of the honeys examined. Conifer tree honey (from pine and fir) contained significantly higher concentrations of protocatechuic and caffeic acid (mean: 6640 and 397 µg/kg honey respectively) than thyme and citrus honey (mean of protocatechuic and caffeic acid: 437.6 and 116 µg/kg honey respectively). p-Hydroxybenzoic acid was the dominant compound in thyme honeys (mean: 1252.5 µg/kg honey). We further examined the antioxidant potential (ORAC assay) of the extracts, their ability to influence viability of prostate cancer (PC-3) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cells as well as their lowering effect on TNF- α-induced adhesion molecule expression in endothelial cells (HAEC). ORAC values of Greek honeys ranged from 415 to 2129 µmol Trolox equivalent/kg honey and correlated significantly with their content in protocatechuic acid (p
A comprehensive, but simple-to-use software package for executing a range of standard numerical analysis and operations used in quantitative paleontology has been developed. The program, called PAST (PAleontological STatistics), runs on standard Windows computers and is available free of charge. PAST integrates spreadsheettype data entry with univariate and multivariate statistics, curve fitting, time-series analysis, data plotting, and simple phylogenetic analysis. Many of the functions are specific to paleontology and ecology, and these functions are not found in standard, more extensive, statistical packages. PAST also includes fourteen case studies (data files and exercises) illustrating use of the program for paleontological problems, making it a complete educational package for courses in quantitative methods.
Medicinal plants are used by traditional practitioners to treat several ailments. Ethnomedicinal studies on Trema orientalis Linn. Blume (Ulmaceae) have shown that it is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, respiratory diseases, oliguria, and malaria. This article is aimed at providing comprehensive information on the medicinal uses, biology, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological data available on T. orientalis. This has been done to explore its therapeutic potential for future research opportunities. This review was compiled with information obtained from databases such as Medline, Elsevier, Springer, Science Direct, Pubmed, Google Scholar, and a library search for articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Compounds present in the plant include tannins, saponins, flavanoids, triterpenes, phytosterols, and several constituents of xanthones. Some pharmacological research done on the plant has focused on, hypoglycemic activity, analgesic, anti-inflammatory activities, anti-plasmodial activity, diuretic activity, laxativity effect, anti-convulsant activity, anti-helmintic activity, anti-sickling effect, anti-oxidant, and anti-bacterial activity. This compilation strongly supports the view that T. orientalis has beneficial therapeutic properties, and indicates its potential as an effective herbal remedy for several diseases. The promising results from several research works could be further substantiated by clinical trials.
SUMMARY This paper discusses some methodological aspects of pollen analysis designed to obtain quantitative data which can be used for ecological studies. The analysis was performed with four pollen samples and four honey samples taken from Plebeia rernota Holmberg. The results demonstrated that variations in the number of microscope slides and the degree of magnification at which they were examined did not limit or affect the power of the analysis. A 1000 grain random count using three slides was considered adequate for this type of approach.
The aim of this study was to carry out a survey of the flora with potential for beekeeping in the counties of Ubiratã and Nova Aurora-PR through the collection of plants and pollen analyses in honey samples collected monthly. 208 species of plants were recorded, distributed in 66 families. The families that showed the major richness of pollen types were: Asteraceae, Myrtaceae and Solanaceae. Approximately 80 pollen types were found in honey samples, most of them were characterized as heterofloral. Cultivated plants, such as Glycine max (soybean) and Eucalyptus spp., were representative in some months of the year. Exotic species, such as Ricinus communis and Melia azedarach, were also frequent. However, over than 50% of the pollen types belong to native species of the region, such as Schinus terebinthifolius, Baccharis spp. Alchornea triplinervia, Parapiptadenia rigida, Hexaclamys edulis, Zanthoxylum sp. and Serjania spp., indicating the importance of the native vegetation for the survival of the colonies.
Les analyses polliniques ont été effectuées sur 40 échantillons de miel qui proviennent des deux grandes régions phytogéographiques situées dans la province de León (N.O. de l’Espagne). La densité pollinique (grains de pollen/g de miel), est de moins de 10.000 grains/g dans 27 échantillons, de 10.000 à 50.000 grains/g dans 12 miels et de 50.000 à 100.000 grains/g dans 1 seul cas. Treize miels monofloraux ont été typifiées: 3 de châtaignier (Castanea sativa) 7 de bruyère dont 4 d’Erica sp, 2 d’E. umbellata et 1 d’E. arborea, 1 de tournesol (Helianthus annuus) et 2 de lavande (type Lavandula pedunculata). Les autres miels sont tous multifloraux. Dans l’ensemble des miels analysés, 122 formes de pollen on pu être identifiées. Les types polliniques Erica australis, Genista florida, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Mentha aquatica, Plantago lanceolata, Poaceae, Prunus, Rubus ulmifolius et Salix fragilis ont été identifiées dans 80% des échantillons provenant des deux régions phytogéographiques alors que ceux de Cistus ladanifer et de Lavandula pedunculata sont typiques des seuls miels de la région Méditerranéenne. Dans la région phytogéographique Eurosibérienne, les communautés végétales les mieux représentées dans les spectres polliniques ce sont celles à gênets, à bruyères et à épineux. Dans les miels de la région Méditerranéenne il y a également une bonne représentation des genêts, des bruyères et des épineux qui font cependant partie d’associations végétales différentes comme l’indique la présence de Lavandula pedunculata, Lavandula sampaiana et Cistus sp.
Since the beginning of honey production, certain honey types are preferred because they taste better, are better for cooking, or do not rapidly crystallize. Pollen found in honey is used to determine the honey's type. Techniques used to extract pollen from honey vary in the amount of honey examined, the amount of water used to dilute the honey, and the time and speed of centrifugation. These variations address the disparity in pollen recovery that is due to the specific gravity and sinking rates of the different pollen types. Ethyl alcohol (ETOH) was used as a dilution liquid for honey and compared to two water-dilution techniques, one with a short centrifugation time (1 minute) and the other using a long centrifugation time (10 minutes). The ETOH samples were centrifuged for 3 minutes. All samples were centrifuged at 4000 r.p.m. Significantly higher pollen concentration values were found in the ETOH-diluted samples. Pollen concentration values of the ETOH-diluted samples were 5.26 times greater than water-diluted, short centrifugation samples, and 3.26 times greater than water-diluted, long centrifugation samples. ETOH-diluted samples produced 16% more taxa than the water-diluted short centrifugation technique, and 10% more taxa than the water-diluted long centrifugation technique. The pollen spectra were not consistent across the three techniques. Additional research is needed to determine the efficiency of other ETOH concentrations in recovering pollen from honey. We recommend that the ETOH-dilution technique become the standard technique for the extraction of pollen from honey for pollen analyses because of the improved pollen recovery.
The present work refers to the pollen analysis of 12 avocado honey samples from Spain. The samples were directly provided by the beekeepers, all professionals. The quantitative analysis showed that nectar is the main honey source in the samples studied, and that most honeys have a medium presence of botanical elements (BE); one sample belong to Class I of Maurizio, seven to Class II and four belong to Class III. The qualitative analysis of the samples showed the presence of 56 taxa belonging to 36 families. The Spanish avocado honeys are characterised by their medium content in pollen grains (NPG; x¯=117000) and their low honeydew indicator elements content (HDE; x¯=6340). Echium plantagineum gr. and Genista f. (present in 90% of the samples), and Eucalyptus f., Olea europaea L., Mentha aquatica gr. and Reseda luteola gr. (present in 80% of the samples), could be mentioned among the characteristic accompanying species of this honey type. The avocado honeys from the Iberian Peninsula and from the Canary Islands can be differentiated by the presence of Asphalthium bituminosum Medic., Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw., Phoenix canariensis Hort. ex Chabaud and Tropaeolum majus L. in the latter.
The aim of the present paper was to determine the flavonoids in monofloral sage (Salvia officinalis L.) honey which is characteristic and specific for the area of Croatian coast and islands. For that purpose 38 sage honey samples from two production seasons were analysed. After specific pollen content determination, and analyses of selected physicochemical parameters which confirmed that samples are in compliance with national and international regulations and can be regarded as unifloral sage honeys, flavonoid fraction was isolated and analysed using RP-HPLC/DAD method. The HPLC analysis showed that all examined sage honey samples contain quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone), luteolin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone), kaempferol (3,4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone), apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyflavone), chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone) and galangin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), as well as p-coumaric (trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid) and caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid). Total amount of identified flavonoids varied from 109.4μg/100g of honey to 589.9μg/100g of honey, with the average of 288.5μg/100g of honey. All analysed honey samples showed common and specific flavonoid profile which could be the basis for differentiating sage from other monofloral honeys.
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One of the goals of melissopalynology is to determine the floral sources utilized by honeybees in the production of honey. Be-cause some types of commercial honey are preferred over others, the preferred types are in high demand and are sold at much higher prices. Verification of these preferred (premium) types of honey is often difficult because many of them come from plant sources that are either weak pollen producers or have pollen that is under-represented in honey. In an effort to verify these premium honey types, researchers developed various methods for correcting the pollen data. These methods produce what are known as pollen coefficient (PC) values. Pollen coefficient values are used to verify honey types produced from floral sources that are over or under-represented in the relative pollen counts of a honey sample. We examine the historical development of PC values, the reliabil-ity of PC data, the flaws inherent in the development of various types of PC data, and the steps needed to formulate new types of PC values that would become universally accepted for the verifi-cation of honey types.
Zamudio, F. & N. I. Hilgert. 2011. Honeys and plants used in the traditional medicine of northern Misiones, Argentina. Bonplandia 20(2): 165-184. The uses of wild bees products and plants in the traditional medicine of the province of Misiones, Argentina, was studied; particularly regarding bee species and therapeutic uses of honey-based concoctions. In this paper, 412 different uses were reported, comprising 9 wild bees taxa. Among the useful products collected from wild bee hives, honey was the most frequently used; mainly for respiratory afflictions and as functional foods. Honeys are used as the basic ingredient of 61 concoctions, where 39 plant species, 6 manufactured products, and 5 products of animal origin may be mixed-in alternatively. Consensus between informants was found regarding primary products, but not in the combinations used in the recipes. Honeys produced by Tetragonisca fiebrigi and Apis mellifera stand out due to their widespread use and high value given by inhabitants. These honeys could be considered as complementary therapeutic products, but a priori not as interchangeable ones. However, specificities in the medicinal use of Tetragonisca fiebrigi and Apis mellifera honeys should be understood as a continuum, shaped by other factors such as availability and access.
Our manuscript shows that honey has a variety of positive nutritional and health effects. It contains at least 181 substances, is a supersaturated solution of sugars, and contains small amounts of proteins, enzymes, amino acids, minerals, trace elements, vitamins, aroma compounds and polyphones. This article reviews reports on the use of honey in the treatment of human disorders, which are supported by clinical tests and published in medical journals. First, the composition of honey is described, followed by its physiological and nutritional effects. Finally, the influence of honey on gastroenterology and cardiovascular effects is illustrated.
Based on pollen analysis, 17 honey samples collected in the Caatinga area from Nova Soure city were classified by botanical origin to identify the most important floral sources. Most of the honey samples were obtained in August and September. A total of 73 pollen types were identified belonging to 30 families, 64 genera and 30 species. The families best represented by their number of pollen types were Mimosaceae (11), Caesalpiniaceae (9), Rubiaceae and Fabaceae (5 each). Predominant pollen types were: Mimosa arenosa in four samples, M. sensitiva and M. tenuiflora in one sample. Pollen from Mimosa ursina was registered for the first time in the pollen spectrum of the Caatinga vegetation. The correspondence analysis showed a similarity among the honey samples based on pollen composition. The high representation of pollen from native species such as Chamaecrista nictitans, C. ramosa, C. swainsonii and Copaifera martii (Caesalpiniaceae); Aeschynomene martii and Zornia sericea (Fabaceae); Herissantia tiubae (Malvaceae); Mimosa arenosa, M. quadrivalvis, M. sensitiva, M. tenuiflora, M. ursina, Piptadenia moniliformis and Plathymenia reticulata (Mimosaceae), and Ziziphus joazeiro (Rhamnaceae) supports the origin of these honeys from Caatinga vegetation.
Con el fin de evaluar la flora polinífera del valle de Oxapampa, se evaluaron 19 muestras de polen corbicular obtenidos de 7 apiarios de los distritos de Huancabamba, Chontabamba y Oxapampa. Se realizó un inventario florístico para obtener un herbario y una palinoteca de referencia, las muestras de polen corbicular se obtuvieron a través de trampas caza-polen. Las muestras de polen corbicular fueron separadas en grupos de acuerdo al color de los acúmulos de polen, realizándose cálculos de frecuencia. Las muestras de flora de referencia y polen corbicularfueron acetolizadas y luego analizadas por microscopia para la identificación de los tipos polínicos o taxa, correlacionándose el color de los acúmulos de polen corbicular con las especies identificadas en las muestras. Los análisis palinológicos dieron como resultado la presencia de 47 taxa distribuídos en 27 familias botánicas, siendo Dictyocaryum lamarckianum, Juglans neotropica y Cyrtocymura scorpioides, las especies que alcanzaron las mayores frecuencias relativas en todo el Valle de Oxapampa. Los colores más frecuente del polen corbicular fueron el marrón, amarillo y el naranja, con una variedad de colores en las especies Vernonanthura patens, Cecropia sp, Cyrtocymura scorpioides y Baccharis latifolia.
The Myrtaceae are represented in Peru by 20 genera and 165 species (Brako & Zarucchi, 1993; Ulloa Ulloa et al., 2004), mostly shrubs and trees. Here we recognize 39 species and one variety in ten genera as Peruvian endemics. Eugenia is the genus with the largest number of endemic species. Endemic Myrtaceae are found mainly in Humid Lowland Amazonian Forests and Mesoandean regions, between 100 and 3600 m elevation. Six endemic species have been registered to date within Peru's protected areas system. La familia Myrtaceae es reconocida en el Perú por presentar 20 géneros y 165 especies (Brako & Zarucchi, 1993; Ulloa Ulloa et al., 2004), la mayoría arbustos y árboles. En este trabajo reconocemos 39 especies y una variedad como endemismos en diez géneros. El género más rico en especies endémicas es Eugenia. Las Myrtaceae endémicas se encuentran principalmente en las regiones Bosques Húmedos Amazónicos y Mesoandina, entre los 100 y 3600 m de altitud. Seis especies endémicas se encuentran dentro del Sistema Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado.
This paper reviews current knowledge on the occurrence of several types of pollen grains in the sediments of honey samples, propolis and bee loads of Apiinae and Meliponinae in Brazil. After a short historical introduction about research activities in Melissopalynology using Brazilian samples, bee products were analyzed in respect to the greater Brazilian regions (South, Southeast, Northeast and North), emphasizing monofloral honeys and the green propolis. Numerous bibliographic references and a short glossary of the technical terms used is presented.
Vitamin C concentrations in the plasma and leukocytes rapidly decline during infections and stress. Supplementation of vitamin C was found to improve components of the human immune system such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis, and delayed-type hypersensitivity. Vitamin C contributes to maintaining the redox integrity of cells and thereby protects them against reactive oxygen species generated during the respiratory burst and in the inflammatory response. Likewise, zinc undernutrition or deficiency was shown to impair cellular mediators of innate immunity such as phagocytosis, natural killer cell activity, and the generation of oxidative burst. Therefore, both nutrients play important roles in immune function and the modulation of host resistance to infectious agents, reducing the risk, severity, and duration of infectious diseases. This is of special importance in populations in which insufficient intake of these nutrients is prevalent. In the developing world, this is the case in low- and middle-income countries, but also in subpopulations in industrialized countries, e.g. in the elderly. A large number of randomized controlled intervention trials with intakes of up to 1 g of vitamin C and up to 30 mg of zinc are available. These trials document that adequate intakes of vitamin C and zinc ameliorate symptoms and shorten the duration of respiratory tract infections including the common cold. Furthermore, vitamin C and zinc reduce the incidence and improve the outcome of pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea infections, especially in children in developing countries.
A thorough updated review of both standardized and the most used and novel analytical methods for the analysis of honey is presented. The methodologies applied to honey in the analysis of the physical parameters (electrical conductivity, rheological properties, specific rotation, color and water activity), the analysis of the properties and the most important components of honey (moisture, sugars, enzymes, HMF, types of acidity and pH, formol index, insoluble solids, organic acids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, volatile and semi-volatile compounds and polyphenols), and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities are described. Finally, the most applied methods for multicomponent analysis and/or for honey authenticity verification (both the botanical and/or geographical origin honey classification and the detection of honey adulteration) are provided.
The pollen spectrum of Melipona asilvai pollen samples, collected over the course of two years, was analysed with the objective of inferring the flora visited by this bee in a region of Caatinga in Bahia, Brazil. This study also evaluated the role of Mimosa species as a source of resources used by Melipona asilvai. Forty-eight pollen types, distributed in 22 families, were morphologically distinguished. The family Fabaceae was notable in the pollen spectrum, with 14 identified types. Mimosa was the most representative and found in all samples analysed, sometimes with high frequency. Mimosa tenuiflora had a 91.5% frequency of occurrence in the sample set and greatly contributed to the monthly samples with percentages over 95% in four of the months analysed. The other Mimosa pollen types identified were M. arenosa, M. quadrivalvis, M. misera and M. pudica. In addition, the Angelonia (Plantaginaceae) type in three samples and the Chamaecrista racemosa (Fabaceae) type in one sample had frequencies over 50% in the pollen spectrum. Other very frequent types in the sample set, occurring in more than 50% of the samples analysed, were the following: Melastomataceae, Solanum paniculatum (Solanaceae), Borreria verticillata (Rubiaceae) and Myrcia (Myrtaceae). Despite the variety of floral sources recorded, it was possible to identify the floral preference of this bee as Mimosa, indicating the importance of Mimosa species as a source of resources used by this bee.
Current research, management and outreach programmes relevant to insect pollinator conservation are strongly focused on relationships between pollinators and insect-pollinated crops and wild plants. Pollinators also visit wind-pollinated plants to collect pollen, or for nest sites and materials, but these interactions are largely overlooked. I review documented records of bee and syrphid fly species collecting pollen from wind-pollinated plant taxa, including economically important crops, and provide the most comprehensive collation of peer-reviewed records of pollinators visiting wind-pollinated plants to date. I argue for more basic research into functional relationships between insect pollinators and wind-pollinated plants. I found over 200 visitation records for 101 wind-pollinated plant genera in 25 families, including 4 of the 12 gymnosperm families. Almost half the records (49%) were for grasses and sedges (Poales). I also identified records of bees and/or syrphid flies visiting 10 economically important wind-pollinated crop plant species, including three major grain crops (rice, corn, and sorghum). Most records (70%) were from indirect pollen analysis from hives, nest cells or insect bodies, highlighting the need for more direct observational studies of plant-pollinator interactions. Insect pollinator communities require resource diversity to persist in a landscape. Hence, researchers and land managers aiming to identify links between pollinators and ecosystem function should also consider broader interactions beyond the standard traits of the entomophily syndrome. Insect Conservation and Diversity
The recommended procedures for melissopalynology suffer from two problems that can lead to incorrect assignment of honey origin. One problem is the lack of complete sedimentation of the pollen from honey samples owing to centrifugalion of too concentrated a solution for too short a lime at too low a centrifuge speed. This can result in selective sedimentation of larger, more dense pollen grains. The other problem with recommended melissopalynology procedures is a lack of insistence that all samples be subjected to an acetolysis procedure. An example of this problem with identification is given where willow and rapeseed (canola) pollen appear virtually identical before acetolysis, but can be seen as markedly different afterwards.
An earlier edition of Methods of melissopalynology was published in Bee World 51(3): 125–138 (1970), and has been widely used. It is now republished with minor corrections and updating, and with two significant additions. The acetolysis method is included, which has not previously been commonly used in melissopalynology; also the literature list is enlarged so that it provides an introduction to the extensive literature on palynology, which is scattered over many journals.
Plantain (Plantago spp.) is generally considered to be an anemophilous plant that produces pollen of low nutritional value to bees. Between April and September during 2002 and 2003, in two regions in northwestern Portugal, we studied both the pollen collected by honey bee colonies and airborne pollen. Plantain pollen collection by honey bees was observed only in three different periods, despite its continuous presence in the air. This behaviour was related to the beginning and ending of flowering of the honey bee's main nutritional pollen sources, with no other factor seemingly influencing the temporal collecting patterns. The collection of Plantago spp. pollen was observed in the gaps between the flowering of Eucalyptus spp., chestnut (Castanea sativa), wild blackberry (Rubus spp.) and heaths (Ericaceae family). The results suggest that pollen of Plantago species seems to be used by honey bees as a substitute for other more nutritious pollen types and is collected only as a supplementary source. The temporal patterns of Plantago pollen collection by honey bees could therefore be used as a valuable ecological indicator of periods with low availability of highly nutritious pollen sources.
Citrus fruits are important health promoting fruits rich in a number of bioactive components mainly flavonoids, limonoids, coumarins, volatile oils and carotenoids. Citrus bioactives have been found to scavenge reactive oxygen species, rejuvenate body's own antioxidant enzymes, inhibit various signalling pathways, act on extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, suppress inflammatory mediators and arrest the cell cycle. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular diseases and colon cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Studies have suggested a positive relation between diet rich in natural phytochemicals and reduced risk of colon cancer. The present review highlights the chemopreventive action of various citrus phytochemicals in colon cancer. The studies suggest that citrus bioactives either alone or in combination with current therapeutic agents can be developed as potential drug candidates for colon cancer.
Cited By (since 1996):3, Export Date: 18 October 2014
Scientific investigation of U.S. honey began in the 1900s when Young examined the pollen contents of honey to determine potential floral sources and to search for a test to detect adulterated samples. Later, in the early 1940s, Todd and Vansell examined the role of pollen in the identification of honey types. Their study followed the path of pollen from its floral source to its eventual location in honey samples.The first extensive study of U.S. honey types was conducted by M. Lieux in the late 1970s. She examined 54 samples of honey from Louisiana, and 68 samples of honey from Mississippi. Since Lieux's studies, there has been only one other pollen study of honey samples from U.S. sources. This study by White et al. (1991) examined the chemical and pollen properties of 11 honey samples collected from regions in Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.Although the United States ranks third in the world in honey production, much of its honey cannot be verified for consumer consumption or effectively exported because it lacks pollen and chemical statistical data. This almost total lack of information about U.S. honey types makes the Unites States unique among the major honey‐producing countries of the world.
Floral key innovations play a significant role in the discussion of adaptive radiation in plants. The paper brings together a brief review of morphological key innovations in plants, elucidating their evolutionary significance in flower–pollinator interactions, and new data on Salvia, a genus being examined as an example for presumed adaptive radiation. We hypothesize that the characteristic staminal lever mechanism functions as a key innovation. It is defined as a functional unit including the modification of stamens to lever-like structures, their reversible movement, and the organization of the remaining floral structures involved in the process of pollen transfer. We follow the assumption that structure and functioning of the staminal levers play a major role in the process of pollen deposition on the pollinator’s body, and that minute changes of both their proportions and their interactions with pollinators may have significant consequences for the pollination system. The functioning of the staminal lever mechanism is tested by field investigations, biomechanical experiments and pollination simulations. First results are presented, and possible modes of allopatric and sympatric speciation are discussed, based on morphometry of Salvia flowers and pollinators as well as on the operating mode of the staminal lever mechanism. Special attention is given to species-specific patterns of pollen deposition on the pollinator’s body. We assume that, depending on the precision of the lever movement, sympatric Salvia species flowering during overlapping periods and sharing the same pollinating species may be either mechanically isolated from each other or able to hybridize. The latter may result in speciation, as may spontaneous mutations influencing the flower-pollinator interaction, e.g. by significant changes in morphometry of the staminal lever system and/or other flower structures. As a consequence, Salvia individuals may deposit pollen on a different part of the pollinator’s body, or even adapt to a new pollinator species, both resulting in reproductive isolation from the parental population.
Investigations of the composition of pollen loads collected by the honeybee in five areas of Galicia (NW Spain) and five areas of Umbria (Central Italy) have demonstrated that specific combinations of pollen grains in the corbicula pollen are related to the geographical origin of the pollen loads. Spanish and Italian pollen loads are clearly differentiated by the presence or absence of characteristic pollen grains. Large quantities of Eucalyptus, Cytisus scoparius‐type, Genista, Lotus and Jasione are found in the Galician honeybee pollen whilst in the pollen from Umbria Onohrychis (Dipsacaceae), Trifolium pratense L., Cornus, Vlmus and Galega predominate. This information can be useful in understanding the ethology of the honeybee in biogeographically different areas.
The physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and phenolic contents of seven types of Sudanese honeys derived from flowers of Acacia nilotica, Acacia seyal, Azadirachta indica, Cucurbita maxima, Balanites aegyptiaca, and two Ziziphus spina christi plant species were evaluated. The moisture content was in the range from 16.2 to 21.3, g/100 g honey, ash content from 0.121 to 1.205 g/100 g honey, nitrogen from 0.032 to 0.046 g/100 g honey while the corresponding protein content was 0.200 to 0.286 g/100 g honey. Total phenolic content varied from 4.44 to 201.08 mg/100 g honey as gallic acid equivalent. The values of the antioxidant activities were in a range from 3177 to 6247 μg for the lC50. No significant correlation was established between antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents.
A microscopical honey analysis method that is being used to process honey samples from Mississippi (USA) is introduced. The method incorporates the acetolysis schedule and allows collection of quantitative and qualitative data in one procedure. Advantages and problems associated with acetolysis in processing honey samples from southeastern USA are reviewed.
Methyl anthranilate (MA) contents of 159 samples of Florida honey from 10 crop years are summarized (mean, 2.79; range, 0−5.04 ppm). A highly significant relationship between MA and citrus pollen content is shown for 85 samples from 2 crop years. Sixty-three samples of “monofloral” Florida citrus honeys from two crops averaged 64% citrus pollen and 3.1 ppm of MA. Keywords: Citrus honey; methyl anthranilate; pollen analysis
Forest clearing through slash and burn to open up agricultural land is an ongoing process in large parts of the Amazon Basin. This activity severely affects the structure and balance of the natural ecosystem, and also has the potential to cause substantial changes in landscape geochemistry. The latter is the topic of this study, with special attention on translocation of potentially toxic trace elements from deforested areas to downstream aquatic and terrestrial systems. Sampling of floodplain sediments and mountain soils (Inceptisols on redbed lithologies) was carried out in two adjacent Subandean river basins, with deforestation extents of ca. 1/3 and 2/3 of the basin areas. Several toxic and potentially toxic metals (e.g., Hg, Cd, Pb, Cu and Ni) and other major and minor elements showed concentration peaks at certain depths in the alluvial deposits of both basins. These peaks were associated with organic matter, and occurred just below layers of combustion residues originating from burning of in situ biomass. Downward migration of particles originating in the combustion residues is suggested to be the direct mechanisms of the metal enrichments. Further evidence of an in situ origin of the metal peaks in the sediments was provided by the geochemical composition of soils located upstream of the floodplains. Disturbed soils (i.e. soils of pasture, coffee plantations, secondary forest and recently swidden fields) were found to be similar to soils under natural forest. Moreover, trace element concentrations in floodplain deposits were similar in the two drainage basins despite the large difference in exploitation degree. Thus, no evidence was found of large scale (basin-wide) increases in trace-metal leaching or translocation as a result of the extensive deforestation and agricultural land-use that has been practiced in the Amazonian highland jungle over more than 100 a.
Botanical and biographical origins of honey are an important issue in food quality and safety. This chapter focuses on use of chemical components to determine botanical and geographical origins of honey. The botanical and geographical origins of the nectar are related with the chemical composition of honey. Honey can originate from single and multiplant species. In general, the prices of honey from single plant species are much higher than those of common polyfloral honey because of consumer preferences. Single and multiple chemicals and components can well indicate the botanical and geographical origins of the honey. Marker chemicals and components include flavonoids, pollen, aroma compounds, oligosaccharides, trace elements, amino acids, and proteins. If multiple chemicals are used as markers, patterns of the chemicals are often used to detect the botanical and geographical origins of honey. Modern statistical software in combination with advanced analytical instrumentation provides high potential for the differentiation of the botanical and geographical origins of the honey.