Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of commercial bee pollen products

To find differences in antioxidant and antibacterial properties between bee pollen products, five of them were examined: bee pellets; micronized pollen; pollen tablets; bee bread; and bee bread in honey. These properties were examined in water, ethanol, and methanol extracts of the studied products. The values of antioxidant and phenolic contents were the lowest for bee bread in honey, regardless of the extraction method. This product was, however, the only one to exhibit antibacterial properties against Gram-negative bacteria. The highest values of antioxidant activity (FRAP) were noted for the alcohol extracts from bee bread and tablets. They ranged from 29.5 to 46.5 mu mol Trolox((R))g(-1) for the methanol extract from tablets and the ethanol extract from bee bread, respectively. For water extracts from these products, tablets had the lowest antioxidant activity -11.3 mu mol Trolox((R))g(-1). The ethanol extracts of tablets had the most phenylpropanoids, flavonols, and anthocyanins, corresponding to16.9, 30.4, and 6.4mgg(-1). Alcoholic extracts possessed higher antibacterial activities against Gram positive bacteria than water extracts. Generally, bee bread was the most valuable product. It was characterized by high antioxidant activity and phenol content, as well as the highest antibacterial properties. The method of extraction was crucial to the level of antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Ethanol was the best solvent, whereas the water extract exhibited the lowest properties.