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Biological Activity and Chemical Composition of Honeybee Products

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 456

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, ICT-Unesp, Sao Jose dos Campos 12245-000, Brazil
Interests: bee products; quality control; antioxidant activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
LabMetaMass, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, SP, Brazil
Interests: mass spectrometry; chromatography; natural products; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recently, scientific research on bee products has been growing considerably. In fact, bees are excellent pollinators, and their products, especially propolis and honey, demonstrate great biological activity. Their chemical composition is quite diverse depending on the place of collection, indicating that their components may have great potential in the development of new drugs, and bee products themselves can be excellent apitherapeutics. Products originating from native bees are gradually being recognized, which, in many parts of the world, have chemical compositions and biological activities that are not known, and could become great allies in the treatment and cure of diseases. Therefore, studies reporting the bioactivity of bee products with known geographic origin, bee species, and chemical profile are welcome. Importantly, the functional properties of known and novel bioactive molecules are welcome. Papers describing only popular uses will not be accepted.

Dr. Maria Cristina Marcucci
Dr. Alexandra Christine Helena F. Sawaya
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • chemical composition
  • biological activity
  • products from native bees
  • regulation
  • quality control

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

22 pages, 4063 KB  
Article
Assessment of Bioactive Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Apis cerana L. Honey from Thailand for the Enhancement of Human Health
by Udomsap Jaitham, Sumed Yadoung, Phannika Tongchai, Peerapong Jeeno, Pichamon Yana, Nid Lungmala, Kanlayanee Boonthawee, Kunrunya Sutan, Khanchai Danmek, Jakkrawut Maitip, Chuleui Jung, Bajaree Chuttong and Surat Hongsibsong
Molecules 2025, 30(18), 3684; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30183684 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 260
Abstract
Honey is renowned for its natural antioxidant properties, which help mitigate oxidative stress and lower the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, cancer, chronic inflammation, and immune dysfunction. This study investigated the antioxidant potential and bioactive compound profiles of 38 Apis cerana [...] Read more.
Honey is renowned for its natural antioxidant properties, which help mitigate oxidative stress and lower the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, cancer, chronic inflammation, and immune dysfunction. This study investigated the antioxidant potential and bioactive compound profiles of 38 Apis cerana L. honey samples from Thailand and 2 Manuka honey samples using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, along with the evaluation of total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The antioxidant activities measured showed a wide range of IC50 values, such as the DPPH assay, ranging from 1.59 ± 0.134 mg/L to 824.30 ± 0.64 mg/mL. Manuka honey exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. However, Apis cerana L. honey samples, such as sample no. 14, no. 16, and no. 20, showed comparable performance in the ABTS and FRAP. In addition, several samples of Apis cerana L. honey, such as no. 12, no. 14, and no. 21, also contain high levels of antioxidants, indicating that Apis cerana L. honey has potential as a health food. The results of this study indicate that Thai honey exhibits notable antioxidant capacity and contains significant levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, suggesting its potential as a natural dietary source for supporting oxidative stress management. These results indicate that some Apis cerana L. honey samples from Thailand have antioxidant properties comparable to Manuka honey. Although differences in floral origin, geographic origin, and bee species should be taken into account, Thai Apis cerana L. shows good potential as a natural source of beneficial bioactive compounds. This highlights its potential for use in functional foods and nutritional interventions targeting oxidative stress-related diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Activity and Chemical Composition of Honeybee Products)
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