Chemical Analysis and Cytotoxic and Cytostatic Effects of Twelve Honey Samples Collected from Different Regions in Morocco and Palestine

Examining the Use of Polyphenols and Sugars for Authenticating Honey on the U.S. Market: A Comprehensive Review

The rise in honey production and imports into the United States necessitates the need for robust methods to authenticate honey origin and ensure consumer safety. This review addresses the scope of honey authentication, with a specific focus on the exploration of polyphenols and sugar markers to evaluate honeys in the U.S. In the absence of comprehensive federal standards for honey in the United States, challenges related to authenticity and adulteration persist. Examining the global landscape of honey authentication research, we observed a significant gap in the literature pertaining to U.S. honeys. While honeys from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia have been extensively studied, the decentralized nature of the U.S. honey market and the lack of comprehensive standards have limited the number of investigations conducted. This review consolidates the findings of global honey studies and emphasizes the need for further research studies on honey authenticity markers within the United States. We also explore previous studies on the U.S. that focused on identifying potential markers for honey authenticity. However, the inherent variability in polyphenol profiles and the lack of extensive studies of the sugar contents of honey on a global scale pose challenges to establishing universal markers. We conclude that by addressing these challenges, the field of research on polyphenols and sugars in honey can move toward more reliable and standardized methods. This advancement will enhance the use of polyphenols and other constituents like sugars as authenticity markers, ultimately benefiting both researchers and the honey industry in ensuring honey quality.

Hive Products: Composition, Pharmacological Properties, and Therapeutic Applications

Beekeeping provides products with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical characteristics. These products are characterized by abundance of bioactive compounds. For different reasons, honey, royal jelly, propolis, venom, and pollen are beneficial to humans and animals and could be used as therapeutics. The pharmacological action of these products is related to many of their constituents. The main bioactive components of honey include oligosaccharides, methylglyoxal, royal jelly proteins (MRJPs), and phenolics compounds. Royal jelly contains jelleins, royalisin peptides, MRJPs, and derivatives of hydroxy-decenoic acid, particularly 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), which possess antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, neuromodulatory, metabolic syndrome-preventing, and anti-aging properties. Propolis has a plethora of activities that are referable to compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester. Peptides found in bee venom include phospholipase A2, apamin, and melittin. In addition to being vitamin-rich, bee pollen also includes unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, and phenolics compounds that express antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the constituents of hive products are particular and different. All of these constituents have been investigated for their properties in numerous research studies. This review aims to provide a thorough screening of the bioactive chemicals found in honeybee products and their beneficial biological effects. The manuscript may provide impetus to the branch of unconventional medicine that goes by the name of apitherapy.

Composition, functional properties and safety of honey: a review

Honey has been used not only as a food source but also for medicinal purposes. Recent studies have indicated that honey exhibits antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic and anti-obesity properties, as well as anticancer, anti-atherosclerotic, hypotensive, neuroprotective and immunomodulatory activities. These health benefits of honey could be attributed to its wide range of nutritional components, including polysaccharides and polyphenols, which have been proven to possess various beneficial properties. It is notable that the composition of honey can also be affected by nectar, season, geography and storage condition. Moreover, the safety of honey requires caution to avoid any potential safety incidents. Therefore, this review aims to provide recent research regarding the chemical composition, biological activities and safety of honey, which might be attributed to comprehensive utilization of honey. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Protective Effects of Arbutus unedo L. Honey in the Alleviation of Irinotecan-Induced Cytogenetic Damage in Human Lymphocytes-An In Vitro Study

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey (STH) has been used since ancient times as a folk medicine remedy, especially in certain Mediterranean countries. This honey, rich in phenolic content, is well recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, and is used for the treatment of skin lesions as well as gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. This study investigated whether STH alleviates genome damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes produced by the cytotoxic drug irinotecan. The phenolic profile of STH was previously estimated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a linear ion trap-Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer. The effects of STH were evaluated at three concentrations (1×, 5×, and 10×), based on the daily consumption of the honey by an adult person. After 2 h of in vitro exposure, standard lymphocyte cultures for the analysis of chromosome aberrations and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay were established. Our results demonstrate that STH offered remarkable geno- and cytoprotection when administered with irinotecan. These findings are relevant for drawing preliminary conclusions regarding the in vitro safety of the tested honey. However, further studies are needed with the application of more complex experimental models.

Assessment of Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Activity of Verthimia iphionoides Plant Extract

Verthimia iphionoides extract from Palestine was tested in vitro for its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) measurements were made concurrently. By using FRAP and DPPH methods, the antioxidant activity were measured spectrophotometrically. By using HPLC-PDA, phenolic and flavonoid compounds of the extract were determined. Results showed strong antioxidant activity of the plant extract revealed by inhibition of stable free radicals (DPPH test) and strong reducing ability (FRAP test). According to spectrophotometric methods for total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids content, the extracts were also found to be rich in polyphenolic compounds and flavonoids. Verthimia iphionoides extract had high antibacterial activity against three bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus aureus), with inhibition zone values of 14 mm, 25 mm, and 27 mm, respectively. Bioactivities were primarily attributed to plants’ abundant phenol-based chemical composition. Additionally, the extract was found to be abundant in phenolic and flavonoids, which improved its reducing activity and capacity to scavenge free radicals. Plant extracts were subjected to HPLC analysis, which identified different flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the extracts.

Use of Medicinal Plants by Cancer Patients Under Chemotherapy in the Northwest of Morocco (Rabat Area) : Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Variety of conventional treatments are used to treat cancer. Cancer patients adopt other alternative therapies including medicinal plants. Their curative power results in the presence of secondary metabolites in its different parts. However, they can have toxic effects and interactions with conventional treatment and even chemosensitivity of the cancer cells.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to determine the prevalence of the use of medecinal plants by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, list the medecinal plants used, identify the most consumed, present the reported adverse effects and determine the predictive factors of their use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 203 patients followed at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat from 01 October 2018 to 30 November 2018. Regarding socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and data on the use of medicinal plants were collected from a questionnaire.

FINDINGS

of 203 patients, 37% used medicinal plants. 30 plants also the honey were identified during this study. The "euphorbia honey"was consumed at (40%), The most used plants were garlic (13%), turmeric, fenugreek and thyme (11% each). 5% of patients presented side effects related to the consumption of medicinal plants. There is a significant association between the use of medicinal plants and socio-economic level (p  =  0.004) and duration of illness (p  =  0.048).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed a high prevalence of medicinal plants used by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at National Institute of Oncology. The more clinical studies are desirable to demonstrate the efficacy of medicinal plants and their therapeutic effects to encourage their consumption or prohibit them.

Cytotoxic activity of strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey, its extract, and homogentisic acid on CAL 27, HepG2, and Caco-2 cell lines

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey (STH), also known as “bitter honey”, is a traditional medicine widely used in the Mediterranean area. Regardless of geographical origin, it usually has a very high content of phenolic compounds and strong antioxidant capacity. Yet, little is still known about the effects of STH, its phenolic extract (STHE), and its main bioactive compound – homogentisic acid (HGA) – at the cell level. The aim of this study was to estimate total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power of STH made in Croatia and investigate cytotoxic and pro-oxidative effects of STH, STHE and HGA on three human cell lines: tongue squamous cell carcinoma (CAL 27), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), and epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) cells. These substances were tested at four concentrations (0.5–5× average human daily intake of STH) and over 30 min and 1 and 2 h. Croatian STH had a total phenolic content of 1.67 g gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per kg of honey, DPPH radical scavenging activity of 2.96 mmol Trolox equivalents (TE) per kg of honey, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of 13.5 mmol Fe²⁺ per kg of honey. Our results show no clear and consistent time- or concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in any of the cell lines. ROS levels in all the three cell types at almost all exposure times were not significantly higher than control. The most important observation is that the tested substances have low cytotoxicity and high biocompatibility, regardless of concentration, which is a good starting point for further research of their biological effects in other models.

A Comprehensive Survey of Phenolic Constituents Reported in Monofloral Honeys around the Globe

The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the large variety of phenolic compounds that have to date been identified in a wide range of monofloral honeys found globally. The collated information is structured along several themes, including the botanical family and genus of the monofloral honeys for which phenolic constituents have been reported, the chemical classes the phenolic compounds can be attributed to, and the analytical method employed in compound determination as well as countries with a particular research focus on phenolic honey constituents. This review covers 130 research papers that detail the phenolic constituents of a total of 556 monofloral honeys. Based on the findings of this review, it can be concluded that most of these honeys belong to the Myrtaceae and Fabaceae families and that Robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia, Fabaceae), Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium, Myrtaceae), and Chestnut (Castanea sp., Fagaceae) honeys are to date the most studied honeys for phenolic compound determination. China, Italy, and Turkey are the major honey phenolic research hubs. To date, 161 individual phenolic compounds belonging to five major compound groups have been reported, with caffeic acid, gallic acid, ferulic acid and quercetin being the most widely reported among them. HPLC with photodiode array detection appears to be the most popular method for chemical structure identification.

Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Various Propolis Samples Collected from an African and an Asian Region and Their Impact on Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities

The biological activities of propolis samples are the result of many bioactive compounds present in the propolis. The aim of the present study was to determine the various chemical compounds of some selected propolis samples collected from Palestine and Morocco by the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Photodiode Array Detection (HPLC-PDA) method, as well as the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of this bee product. The chemical analysis of propolis samples by HPLC-PDA shows the cinnamic acid content in the Palestinian sample is higher compared to that in Moroccan propolis. The results of antioxidant activity demonstrated an important free radical scavenging activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH); 2,2′-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and reducing power assays) with EC₅₀ values ranging between 0.02 ± 0.001 and 0.14 ± 0.01 mg/mL. Additionally, all tested propolis samples possessed a moderate antibacterial activity against bacterial strains. Notably, Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) values ranged from 0.31 to 2.50 mg/mL for Gram-negative bacterial strains and from 0.09 to 0.125 mg/mL for Gram-positive bacterial strains. The S2 sample from Morocco and the S4 sample from Palestine had the highest content of polyphenol level. Thus, the strong antioxidant and antibacterial properties were apparently due to the high total phenolic and flavone/flavonol contents in the samples. As a conclusion, the activities of propolis samples collected from both countries are similar, while the cinnamic acid in the Palestinian samples was more than that of the Moroccan samples.

Pharmaceutical Prospects of Bee Products: Special Focus on Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Antiparasitic Properties

Bee products have long been used in traditional healing practices to treat many types of disorders, including cancer and microbial-related diseases. Indeed, several chemical compounds found in bee products have been demonstrated to display anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties. With the improvement of research tools and in view of recent advances related to bee products, this review aims to provide broad yet detailed insight into the pharmaceutical prospects of bee products such as honey, propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly, bee bread, beeswax, and bee venom, in the domain of cancer and infectious disease management. Available literature confirms the efficacy of these bee products in the alleviation of cancer progression, inhibition of bacterial and viral proliferation, and mitigation of parasitic-related symptoms. With such potentials, bioactive components isolated from the bee products can be used as an alternative approach in the long-run effort to improve humans' health at a personal and community level.

AlZain M, M. Alzamel N, Mohamed Al kamaly O, Bouyahya A, Benoutman A, Imtara H. Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Pollen Extracts from Micromeria fruticosa, Achillea fragrantissima, and Phoenix dactylifera

Pollen is a male flower gametophyte located in the anthers of stamens in angiosperms and a considerable source of compounds with health protective potential. In the present work, phytochemical screening was carried out as well as analysis of the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of pollen extracts from Micromeria fruticosa, Achillea fragrantissima, and Phoenix dactylifera growing wild in Palestine. Phytochemical screening examined the total flavonol, flavone and phenolic content. The DPPH (1,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) methods were used to assess antioxidant propriety, and disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration tests were used to test the pollen extract's antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinical isolates. The highest level of total phenolic was found in the extract of Micromeria fruticosa (56.78 ± 0.49 mg GAE (Gallic Acid Equivalent)/g). The flavone and flavonol content of samples ranged from 2.48 ± 0.05 to 8.03 ± 0.01 mg QE (Quercetin Equivalent)/g. Micromeria fruticosa pollen with IC50 values of 0.047 and 0.039 mg/mL in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively, showed the greatest radical scavenging action. In addition, this pollen showed a mild antibacterial action against the microorganisms studied, with MICs varying from 0.625 to 10 mg/mL and inhibition diameters ranging from 13.66 ± 1.5 to 16.33 ± 1.5 mm.

An efficient one-pot synthesis and biological evaluation of novel (E)-2-aroyl-4-arylidene-5-oxotetrahydrofuran derivatives

An efficient one-pot base-mediated approach to ( E)-2-aroyl-4-arylidene-5-oxotetrahydro-furans is developed. Nine ( E)-2-aroyl-4-arylidene-5-oxotetrahydrofurans are synthesized in good yields via tandem Passerini and cyclization reactions, starting from Baylis–Hillman acids, aryl glyoxals, and isocyanides at room temperature in the presence of Cs2CO3. In addition, the MTT assay is used to evaluate their cytotoxicities toward the cervical cancer cell lines C-33A, CaSki, and SiHa and the hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2. The results show that some of the compounds inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells significantly.

Synthesis and cytotoxic effects on HeLa cervical cancer cells of (E)-2-aroyl-4-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-5-oxopyrrolidine

Seven ( E)-2-aroyl-4-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-5-oxopyrrolidines were synthesized via a tandem Ugi 4CC/SN cyclization sequence starting from a Baylis-Hillman-derived acid, primary amines, arylglyoxals, and isocyanides in one pot. In addition, the cytotoxicity of these compounds on the cervical cancer cell line HeLa was studied by MTT assay. The results showed that most of the compounds could inhibit the proliferation of HeLa cells significantly.

The Influence of In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion on the Anticancer Activity of Manuka Honey

Manuka honey (MH) is a natural food with many beneficial properties to human health, thanks to its high variety of bioactive compounds; however, little is known about its bioaccessibility. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the polyphenol compounds, the antioxidant capacity and the anticancer activity of MH subjected to an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion in human HCT-116 colon cancer cells. Raw MH and digested MH (DMH) were assessed for total polyphenols and flavonoids by spectrophotometric and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) using different methods. Cell viability, intracellular ROS production, apoptosis, cell cycle and colony formation capacity were tested after treatment with MH or DMH. Results showed that total polyphenols, total flavonoids and TAC were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced after in vitro digestion. In addition, MH and DMH at 8, 16 and 24 mg/mL had similar effects in inducing intracellular ROS production and in inhibiting the colon formation ability; MH induced a more marked apoptosis compared to DMH, while cell cycle was blocked in S phase by MH and in Sub G1 phase by DMH. Our results increase knowledge of the effect of gastrointestinal digestion on the biological effect of honey against colorectal cancer.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Potential Use of Propolis as a Multitarget Therapeutic Product: Physicochemical Properties, Chemical Composition, and Immunomodulatory, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Properties

Propolis is a resin that honeybees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from botanical sources. The present in vitro study investigated the potential use of propolis as a multitarget therapeutic product and the physicochemical properties, chemical composition, and immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties of a propolis extract from the northern Morocco region (PNM). Pinocembrin, chrysin, and quercetin were the main phenolic compounds of PNM as measured in HPLC. The PNM showed significant inhibitory effects against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains and showed high antioxidant activities by scavenging free radicals with IC50 (DPPH = 0.02, ABTS = 0.04, and FRAP = 0.04 mg/ml). In addition, PNM induced a dose-dependent cytostatic effect in MCF-7, HCT, and THP-1 cell lines at noncytotoxic concentrations with IC50 values of 479.22, 108.88, and 50.54 μg/ml, respectively. The production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was decreased in a dose-dependent manner in LPS-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs), whereas the production of the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 (IL-10) was increased in a dose-dependent manner reaching 15-fold compared to the levels measured in untreated PBMNCs. Overall, the results showed that the traditionally known multitarget therapeutic properties of the PNM seem to be mediated, at least in part, through cytostatic, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory effects.