Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Honey Bee Products—3rd Edition

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Extraction and Industrial Applications of Antioxidants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2026) | Viewed by 1467

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department for Biology and Pathology of Fish and Bees, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: biology and pathology of honeybees; bumblebees; wild bees; disease diagnostic methods; one-health approach; Apis mellifera veterinary medicine; apian products; environment monitoring
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Given the enthusiastic response we received from the previous Special Issue, "Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Honey Bee Products", we decided to revisit this topic.

Honey bees produce a variety of products that humans have used for centuries for different purposes. These products include royal jelly, venom, beeswax, processed honey, propolis, and pollen. The beneficial effects of these bee products have been widely recognized and utilized due to their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. The main focus of this Special Issue is to unravel old findings, present novel discoveries, and align these with current global needs, not only as remedies but also as agents with the potential to promote health and reduce the risk of developing many diseases. Specifically, oxidative stress underlies many “modern” diseases, and honey bee products may serve as a means of support due to their antioxidant capacity. In studies of complex mixtures of natural products, the characterization of chemicals using analytical methodologies, such as HPLC, MS, LC–MS, HPLC–MS, and NMR, should be included. Antioxidant properties play a significant role in the antibacterial effectiveness of honey bee products. In this Special Issue, we aim to explore various interconnected features of these products. Additionally, we will discuss the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of these complex substances, which differ in composition. Lastly, we will emphasize the importance of standardizing their quality parameters.

Prof. Dr. Ivana Tlak Gajger
Dr. Josipa Vlainić
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • honey bee products
  • antioxidant capacity
  • antimicrobial efficacy
  • polyphenol content
  • functional food
  • health promotion

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

27 pages, 8189 KB  
Article
Phenolamide Extract of Apricot Bee Pollen Alleviates DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice by Reducing Oxidative Stress, Modulating Inflammation, and Regulating Gut Microbiota
by Wei Liu, Rui Liu, Yihang Han, Xin Chen and Qun Lu
Antioxidants 2026, 15(3), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15030403 - 23 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1030
Abstract
Phenolamides in bee pollen exhibit notable bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a prevalent intestinal disorder, while the potential effects of phenolamides on UC remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of phenolamide [...] Read more.
Phenolamides in bee pollen exhibit notable bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a prevalent intestinal disorder, while the potential effects of phenolamides on UC remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of phenolamide extract (PAE) from apricot bee pollen on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC in mice. Firstly, we analyzed the main compounds of PAE. Mice were treated with PAE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg bw) both during the 7 days preceding 2.5% DSS induction and throughout the induction period (7 days). The results show that the primary compounds of PAE were isomers of tri-p-coumaroyl spermidine (97.78 ± 2.76%). A biochemical analysis showed that PAE decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Regarding the gut microbiota, PAE reduced the Bacillota/Bacteroidota ratio. Additionally, PAE elevated beneficial bacteria, including norank_f_Muribaculaceae, norank_o_Clostridia_UCG-014, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, while reducing harmful bacteria, including Escherichia-Shigella, Clostridium, and Romboutsia. A quantitative analysis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) demonstrated that PAE intervention promotes the biosynthesis of SCFAs in UC mice. This study first demonstrates that PAE attenuates DSS-induced colitis by modulating gut microbiota and SCFAs, suggesting its potential as a functional dietary supplement for colitis. Full article
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