<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Polyphenolic compounds reportedly produce physiological effects that are beneficial to health. Bee products are particularly rich in polyphenolic compounds. We determined the antioxidant capacity and the phenolic and flavonoid compounds content of 81 samples of honey. We used the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method to evaluate the total phenolic content. The antioxidant activities were evaluated using in vitro scavenging assays of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH ) and hydroxyl radicals (OH ), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC ), and ferric-reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAC ). Total phenolic content ranged from 40.3 to 193.0 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE )/100 g; the flavonoid content varied from 1.4 to 7.5 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/100 g. Eucalyptus honeys exhibited significantly higher phenolic content and free radical-scavenging activity than clover honey samples (p&lt;0.05 for all). Principal component analysis explained 73% of the differences observed in antiradical activity with respect to floral origin. Total phenolic content may be more useful than the radical-scavenging assay for detecting antioxidant capacity in honey; it also represents the variable that most appropriately discriminated among these honeys.</p></abstract>

Polyphenolic compounds reportedly produce physiological effects that are beneficial to health. Bee products are particularly rich in polyphenolic compounds. We determined the antioxidant capacity and the phenolic and flavonoid compounds content of 81 samples of honey. We used the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method to evaluate the total phenolic content. The antioxidant activities were evaluated using in vitro scavenging assays of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH ) and hydroxyl radicals (OH ), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC ), and ferric-reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAC ). Total phenolic content ranged from 40.3 to 193.0 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE )/100 g; the flavonoid content varied from 1.4 to 7.5 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/100 g. Eucalyptus honeys exhibited significantly higher phenolic content and free radical-scavenging activity than clover honey samples (p<0.05 for all). Principal component analysis explained 73% of the differences observed in antiradical activity with respect to floral origin. Total phenolic content may be more useful than the radical-scavenging assay for detecting antioxidant capacity in honey; it also represents the variable that most appropriately discriminated among these honeys.

Determination of Antioxidant Capacity, Flavonoids, and Total Phenolic Content in Eucalyptus and Clover Honeys

CIDTA - Universidad Tehnológica Nacional – Facultad Regional Rosario – E. Zeballos 1341 – S2000BUN Rosario – Argentina

Journal of Apicultural Science

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Polyphenolic compounds reportedly produce physiological effects that are beneficial to health. Bee products are particularly rich in polyphenolic compounds. We...

Determination of Antioxidant Capacity, Flavonoids, and Total Phenolic Content in Eucalyptus and Clover Honeys

Published Online: May 27, 2014

Page range: 103 - 111

Received: Jul 25, 2013

Accepted: Feb 24, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jas-2014-0010

Keywords
DPPH, ferric-reducing antioxidant capacity, flavonoids in honey, hydroxyl radicals, polyphenols, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity

© by María C. Ciappini

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Determination of Antioxidant Capacity, Flavonoids, and Total Phenolic Content in Eucalyptus and Clover Honeys

Published Online: May 27, 2014

Page range: 103 - 111

Received: Jul 25, 2013

Accepted: Feb 24, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jas-2014-0010

KeywordsDPPH, ferric-reducing antioxidant capacity, flavonoids in honey, hydroxyl radicals, polyphenols, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity

© by María C. Ciappini

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords
DPPH, ferric-reducing antioxidant capacity, flavonoids in honey, hydroxyl radicals, polyphenols, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity