Bee Pollen Research

• Bee Pollen May Have Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties
• Bee Pollen May Treat Allergies
• Bee Pollen Shows Antioxidant Activity
• Bee Pollen is a Nutrient Rich Functional Food

Study of preparations of bee pollen extracts, antioxidant and antibacterial activity

Estudo das preparações de extratos de pólen apícola, atividade antioxidante e antibacteriana

Solange Teresinha CarpesI; Rosicler BegniniII; Severino Matias de AlencarIII; Maria Lúcia MassonIV

IProfessora do Curso de Tecnologia em Processos Químicos – Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná/UTFPR – Pato Branco – Paraná, Brasil – Doutoranda em Tecnologia de Alimentos – Setor de Tecnologia de Alimentos – Universidade Federal do Paraná/UFPR – Jardim das Américas – Cx. P. 19011 – 81531990 – Curitiba, PR – solangecarpes@gmail.comIIPós-Graduanda em Sistemas de Produção Tecnológica da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná/UTFPR – Pato Branco, PR, BrasilIIIProfessor do Departamento de Agroindústria Alimentos e Nutrição/LAN – Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz/ESALQ – Universidade Federal de São Paulo/USPIVProfessora do Setor de Tecnologia de Alimentos – Universidade Federal do Paraná/UFPR – Jardim das Américas – Cx. P. 19011 – 81.531-990 – Curitiba, PR

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity, phenolic content and antibacterial activity of pollen extracts obtained with different concentrations of ethanol. Each extraction condition (ethanol solutions from 40 to 90%) had a different effect in the phenolic compounds content. Although, the pollen extract obtained at 60, 70 and 80% of ethanol showed relatively higher levels of phenolic compounds (>10 mg/g) and did not present statistical significant difference between the extraction conditions. The amount of total phenolics ranged from 3.6 to 8.1 and 6.6 to 10.9 mg GAE/g for Alagoas state and Parana state pollen, respectively. The higher value for antioxidant activity index was 83.30% for the pollen from Alagoas state and 81.15 % for Parana state pollen. The highest degree of antioxidant activity was found in the extraction at 60% of ethanol solution for Parana state pollen, which also showed the highest concentration of polyphenol compounds. Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited by the ethanolic extract of Alagoas state pollen in all the concentrations of solvent, except the ethanolic extract of pollen at 90%. The extract at 60% of ethanol solution (Parana sample) inhibited Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella sp.

Study: Bee Pollen Extract ‘Potential Tool to Treat Allergies’

Anti-allergic Effect of Bee Pollen Phenolic Extract and Myricetin in Ovalbumin-Sensitized MiceJ Ethnopharmacol, 2008 Jun 6

The bee pollen is used in folk medicine to alleviate allergic reactions. The bee pollen phenolic extract (BPPE) consists in phenolic compounds (flavonoids) from plants picked by Apis mellifera bee.

Aim of This Study: Here we evaluated the anti-allergic property of the BPPE and the flavonoid myricetin (MYR) in murine model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy.

Materials and Methods: The study focused on the BPPE or myricetin treatment of OVA-sensitized BALB/c mice and their effects on the immunoglobulin E (IgE) and immunoglobulin G1 (IgG(1)) production, pulmonary cell migration, eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) activity and anaphylactic shock reaction.

Results: The BPPE treatment (200mg/kg) showed inhibition of the paw edema, IgE and IgG(1) OVA-specific production, leukocyte migration to the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and EPO activity in lungs. In addition, BPPE treatment showed partial protection on the anaphylactic shock reaction induced by OVA. Treatment with myricetin (5mg/kg) also inhibited pulmonary cell migration and IgE and IgG(1) OVA-specific production.

Conclusions: These results support the hypothesis the myricetin is one of the flavonoids of BPPE responsible for the anti-allergic effect and a potential tool to treat allergies.

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