Honey is a natural product with a complex chemical composition and beneficial effects on human health. The floral or honeydew origin of honey determines its compositional diversity, thereby affecting its bioactivity and associated health outcomes. This study comparatively evaluates the antioxidant, antigenotoxic, and antimicrobial properties of five honey types: honeydew, meadow, wild cherry, sunflower, and acacia. Melissopalynological analysis was used to confirm honeys’ botanical or honeydew origins. Chemical profiles of honey samples, as well as their antioxidant activity via 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and total reducing power (TRP) assays were determined. Antigenotoxicity was assessed using both in vitro and in vivo models, while antimicrobial activity was evaluated against eight microbial strains. The results demonstrated that honeydew and meadow honeys had the highest total phenolic content (TPC), as well as superior antioxidant activity in DPPH and TRP assays, while wild cherry, sunflower, and acacia honeys showed stronger ABTS radical scavenging. All honey samples significantly reduced DNA damage induced by hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals in vitro. Acacia honey displayed the highest in vivo DNA-protective activity, followed by meadow and honeydew samples. Likewise, all honey types showed good antimicrobial activity, especially meadow honey. These findings suggest that the tested honey samples exhibit bioactive properties and support their further investigation in the context of human health.
Živković et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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