Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of phenolic compounds isolated from Melipona beecheii honey

Methanolic extract was obtained from Melipona beecheii honey and quantitative analysis of components like total amount of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and flavonols were estimated. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were fractionated by reverse phase HPLC and assessed for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities by in vitro methods. Total phenol content was estimated as 63.22mg of Gallic acid equivalents/100g of honey. Total flavonoids and flavonols were found to be 3.61 and 3.16mg of Catechin or Naringenin equivalents/100g of honey, respectively. The flavonoids fraction exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 0.33, 0.92 and 0.36mg/mL for radical scavenging activity, chelating effects and reducing power, respectively. Inhibition of albumin denaturation, membrane stabilization and proteinase inhibition assays indicated that flavonoids extract showed anti-inflammatory activity. Phenolic compounds like phenolic acids and flavonoids present in the M.beecheii honey could be partially responsible for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.