Sunday, November 11, 2007

Study: Honey Could Play ‘Important Role’ in Preventing Cell Damage

Influence of Honey on the Suppression of Human Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Peroxidation (In vitro)
Evidence-based Compl. and Alt. Medicine, 10/18/2007

The antioxidant activity of four honey samples from different floral sources (Acacia, Coriander, Sider and Palm) were evaluated with three different assays; DPPH free radical scavenging assay, superoxide anion generated in xanthine–xanthine oxidase (XOD) system and low density lipoprotein (LDL) peroxidation assay.

The dark Palm and Sider honeys had the highest antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay. But all the honey samples exhibited more or less the same highly significant antioxidant activity within the concentration of 1mg honey/1 ml in XOD system and LDL peroxidation assays.

The chemical composition of these samples was investigated by GC/MS and HPLC analysis, 11 compounds being new to honey. The GC/MS revealed the presence of 90 compounds, mainly aliphatic acids (37 compounds), which represent 54.73, 8.72, 22.87 and 64.10% and phenolic acids (15 compound) 2.3, 1.02, 2.07 and 11.68% for Acacia, Coriander, Sider and Palm honeys. In HPLC analysis, 19 flavonoids were identified. Coriander and Sider honeys were characterized by the presence of large amounts of flavonoids…

Our study provides (for the first time) primary evidence suggesting that these honeys in further in vivo studies could play an important role in inhibiting lipid peroxidation in biological systems through their antioxidant, metal chelating and free radical scavenging activities.

Also some bee products as propolis contain a higher level of phenolic compounds and showed strong capability to scavenge free radicals and exhibit a cytotoxic effect on human melanoma cells. It also induced inhibition of oxidative stress which may be partly responsible for its neuroprotective function against in vitro cell death and in vivo focal cerebral ischemia. So the use of bee products have mainly centered on prevention and the maintenance of human health.

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