Determination of interglycosidic linkages in O-glycosyl flavones by high-performance liquid chromatography/photodiode-array detection coupled to electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry. Its application to Tetragonula carbonaria honey from Australia.

RATIONALE: Tetragonula carbonaria pot-honeys are highly valued as a food source and for their biological activities in Australia, and there is a growing interest to know its composition. Phenolic metabolites, which could be related to their beneficial properties, have not been studied in depth yet. METHODS: Mass spectrometry (MS) coupled to liquid chromatography (LC) is an advanced technique for the study of complex flavonoids present in difficult food matrices that hampers their isolation and purification. This allows the tentative characterization of diglycosides/triglycosides establishing the position of the O-glycosylation on the sugar moiety by the study of the MS data in T. carbonaria pot-honeys from Australia. RESULTS: Their spectra obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography/photodiode-array detection/electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS(n) ) revealed for the first time 19 quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin O-glycosides. These compounds were clustered in flavonoid triglycosides, diglycosides and monoglycosides. The first cluster contained one flavonoid trihexoside, two -3-O-(2-hexosyl, 6-rhamnosyl)hexosides and their isomers and two -3-O-(2,6-di-rhamnosyl)hexosides. In the second cluster, eleven flavonoid diglycosides such as three -3-O-(2-hexosyl)hexosides, four -3-O-(2-rhamnosyl)hexosides and one -3-O-(6-rhamnosyl)hexoside as well as two -3-O-(2-pentosyl)hexosides and one tentative -3-O-(3-pentosyl)hexoside were detected. In the monoglycoside group, only one flavonoid -3-O-hexoside was identified. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of this large number of flavonoid glycosides could be due to the low glucosidase activity previously reported in stingless bee honey.

Exploring the Functional Properties of Propolis, Geopropolis, and Cerumen, with a Special Emphasis on Their Antimicrobial Effects.

Bee propolis has been touted as a natural antimicrobial agent with the potential to replace antibiotics. Numerous reports and reviews have highlighted the functionalities and applications of the natural compound. Despite much clamor for the downstream application of propolis, there remain many grounds to cover, especially in the upstream production, and factors affecting the quality of the propolis. Moreover, geopropolis and cerumen, akin to propolis, hold promise for diverse human applications, yet their benefits and intricate manufacturing processes remain subjects of intensive research. Specialized cement bees are pivotal in gathering and transporting plant resins from suitable sources to their nests. Contrary to common belief, these resins are directly applied within the hive, smoothed out by cement bees, and blended with beeswax and trace components to create raw propolis. Beekeepers subsequently harvest and perform the extraction of the raw propolis to form the final propolis extract that is sold on the market. As a result of the production process, intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as botanical origins, bee species, and the extraction process, have a direct impact on the quality of the final propolis extract. Towards the end of this paper, a section is dedicated to highlighting the antimicrobial potency of propolis extract.

Impact of genus (Geotrigona, Melipona, Scaptotrigona) in the targeted 1H-NMR organic profile, and authenticity test by interphase emulsion of honey processed in cerumen pots by stingless bees in Ecuador.

The biodiversity of Ecuadorian stingless bees is almost 200 species. Traditional pot-honey harvest in Ecuador is mostly done from nests of the three genera selected here Geotrigona Moure, 1943, Melipona Illiger, 1806, and Scaptotrigona Moure, 1942. The 20 pot-honey samples collected from cerumen pots and three ethnic honeys "abeja de tierra", "bermejo", and "cushillomishki" were analyzed for qualitative and quantitative targeted 1H-NMR honey profiling, and for the Honey Authenticity Test by Interphase Emulsion (HATIE). Extensive data of targeted organic compounds (41 parameters) were identified, quantified, and described. The three honey types were compared by ANOVA. Amino acids, ethanol, hydroxymethylfurfural, aliphatic organic acids, sugars, and markers of botanical origin. The number of phases observed with the HATIE were one in Scaptotrigona and three in Geotrigona and Melipona honeys. Acetic acid (19.60 ± 1.45 g/kg) and lactic acid (24.30 ± 1.65 g/kg) were particularly high in Geotrigona honey (in contrast to 1.3 g/kg acetic acid and 1.6 g/kg lactic acid in Melipona and Scaptotrigona), and with the lowest fructose + glucose (18.39 ± 1.68) g/100g honey compared to Melipona (52.87 ± 1.75) and Scaptotrigona (52.17 ± 0.60). Three local honeys were tested using PCA (Principal Component Analysis), two were assigned with a correct declared bee origin, but "bermejo" was not a Melipona and grouped with the Scaptotrigona cluster. However after HCA (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis) the three honeys were positioned in the Melipona-Scaptotrigona cluster. This research supports targeted 1H-NMR-based profiling of pot-honey metabolomics approach for multi-parameter visualization of organic compounds, as well as descriptive and pertained multivariate statistics (HCA and PCA) to discriminate the stingless bee genus in a set of Geotrigona, Melipona and Scaptotrigona honey types. The NMR characterization of Ecuadorian honey produced by stingless bees emphasizes the need for regulatory norms. A final note on stingless bee markers in pot-honey metabolites which should be screened for those that may extract phylogenetic signals from nutritional traits of honey. Scaptotrigona vitorum honey revealed biosurfactant activity in the HATIE, originating a fingerprint Honey Biosurfactant Test (HBT) for the genus in this set of pot-honeys.

Chemical Components and Antioxidant Activity of Geotrigona sp. and Tetragonisca fiebrigi Stingless Bee Cerumen Reduce Juglone-Induced Oxidative Stress in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Cerumen is a bee product produced exclusively by stingless bees, resulting from a mixture of beeswax and plant resins. The antioxidant activity of bee products has been investigated since oxidative stress is associated with the onset and progression of several diseases that can lead to death. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of cerumen produced by the Geotrigona sp. and Tetragonisca fiebrigi stingless bees, in vitro and in vivo. The chemical characterization of cerumen extracts was performed by HPLC, GC, and ICP OES analyses. The in vitro antioxidant potential was evaluated by DPPH• and ABTS•+ free radical scavenging methods, and in human erythrocytes subjected to oxidative stress with AAPH. In vivo, the antioxidant potential was evaluated in Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes subjected to oxidative stress with juglone. Both cerumen extracts presented phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and metallic minerals in their chemical constitution. The cerumen extracts showed antioxidant activity by capturing free radicals, reducing lipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes, and reducing oxidative stress in C. elegans, observed by the increase in viability. The results obtained indicate that cerumen extracts from Geotrigona sp. and Tetragonisca fiebrigi stingless bees may be promising against oxidative stress and associated diseases.

Antioxidant activity of four color fractions of bee pollen from Mérida, Venezuela.

Bee pollen has been reported to show antioxidant and radical scavenging activities; contributing to anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective properties. Venezuelan honeybee pollen has been little studied, but is consumed because its properties are known from other countries reports. On the basis of these reports, water, ethanol and methanol soluble fractions were prepared from dried bee-pollen commercially available and produced by La Montaña farm (Mérida, Venezuela). These fractions were evaluated for their functional properties, specifically, polyphenol content and total antioxidant activity. Pollen samples were separated by color in four fractions: yellow, brown, orange and ochre. Polyphenol content ranged between 396.7 to 1286.7 gallic acid equivalents GAE/100 g pollen; it was highest in pollen homogenates obtained with ethanol, followed by those obtained with methanol and water. The antioxidant activity ranged from 0.50 to 1.84 micromoles Trolox equivalents TEAC/100 g for water and ethanol homogenates respectively. The results presented in this work suggest that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent antioxidant activity, comparable to human plasma, probably due to total polyphenol content of bee pollen. This is important because the bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food.

Bioactive indicators related to bioelements of eight unifloral honeys.

Honey is the most popular bee product used by man, with nutritional and medicinal purposes. Its great diversity is attributed to numerous factors (bee type, visited flora, environment, and management). The quality of honey is controlled with routine parameters (free acidity, diastase activity, reducing sugars, ash, water, hydroxymethyfurfural, and sucrose contents). Besides the biochemical quality control, a functional profile is also important for pharmacological applications. In this work, bioactive indicators such as the antioxidant activity, flavonoid and polyphenol contents were evaluated by spectrophotometry, and correlated to the content of six bioelements (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn) measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy, tandem FI-FAAS, in 14 unifloral Czech honeys. The antioxidant activity was 43.13 +/- 53.72 micromoles TEAC/100 g honey. The flavonoid content was 5.18 +/- 4.19 mg QE/100 g, and the polyphenol content was 45.38 +/- 27.20 mg GAE/100 g. Buckwheat honey showed the highest values for these indicators of bioactivity, the acacia honeys the lowest, and the rest of the honeys were comprised between both of them. Honey content of bioelements was 138.19 +/- 55.57 ppm Ca (min 77.11-max 261.65), 0.33 +/- 0.41 ppm Cu (min 0.00-max 1.37), 2.95 +/- 1.10 ppm Fe (min 1.34-max 5.36), 35.08 +/- 29.59 ppm Mg (min 8.76-128.06), 4.93 +/- 3.99 ppm Mn (min 0.34-max 11.31), 1.07 +/- 0.56 ppm Zn (min 0.49-max 2.52). The antioxidant activity of honey was significantly correlated to its content of cupper, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc, but was not correlated to calcium.

[Chemical composition of fresh bee pollen collected in the Misintá páramo from the Venezuelan Andes]. / Composición química de polen apícola fresco recolectado en el páramo de Misintá de los andes venezolanos.

Venezuelan bee pollen has not been characterized, and marketing is not regulated. Pollen is consumed for apitherapeutical purposes for its nutritional and medicinal properties. This product of the hive is the most popular after honey; therefore it is necessary to characterize and to value it to initiate a database to support the proposal of a norm for bee pollen quality control. Samples of bee pollen collected by bees in the Misintá páramo of Mérida state were characterized accoridng to the chemical composition (moisture, ash, fat, pH, proteins) of four color fractions (yellow, orange, ochre, green). Yellow pollen was the most frequent fraction, with 2.18 g ash/100 g, 5.37 g ether extract/100 g, 14.88 g moisture/100 g, and 37.32 g proteins/100 g.

Antioxidant capacity of Venezuelan honey in wistar rat homogenates.

The antioxidant effect of several polyphenolic compounds is well known. However, little is known about the antioxidant capacity of Venezuelan honey, which has a high content of polyphenolic compounds. In this work, the antioxidant capacity of a genuine honey produced in Mérida, Venezuela was studied using the ferrous iron oxidation with xylenol orange method, the thiobarbituric acid method, and the determination of antioxidant activity. We found that this honey has the capacity to decrease significantly the concentration of lipid hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde, produced during the lipid peroxidation process, in a comparable way with other widely studied antioxidants such as melatonin and vitamin E. It was found that the antioxidant activity in the 50% honey dilution, the highest concentration we tested, was equivalent to a concentration of uric acid of 0.62 mM.

Ecuadorian honey types described by Kichwa community in Rio Chico, Pastaza province, Ecuador using Free-Choice Profiling

Abstract Pastaza is the largest and least populated province in Ecuador, with seven native indigenous nationalities. The Kichwas from the Rio Chico community live near to the capital city Puyo, are recognized for their knowledge on stingless honey bees. From the 400 species of Neotropical Meliponini that make honey in cerumen pots, almost 100 thrive in Southern Ecuador, and confer such biodiversity to pot-honey. In this study sensory characteristics of Ecuadorian false and genuine honeys with diverse entomological origin: Apis mellifera - light amber and amber, Geotrigona leucogastra, Melipona grandis and Scaptotrigona sp. (S. ederi np Schwarz) were investigated with Kichwa assessors (four female and four male, aged 18-62 years old). The panel was asked to taste and to identify sensory attributes of honey (appearance, taste, smell, aroma, mouthfeel, other tactile sensations), and to score their intensities in 10 cm unstructured line scales anchored with the words weak and strong, using the Free-Choice Profile methodology The Generalized Procrustes Analysis was used on the data. The first and second dimensions accounted for by 61.1% of the variance. In the descriptive sensory evaluation, darker honeys (amber A. mellifera, false and Geotrigona) were separated from (light amber A. mellifera, Melipona and Scaptotrigona) by the first dimension; whereas thicker honeys (A. mellifera and false) were discriminated from thinner honeys (Geotrigona, Melipona and Scaptotrigona) by the second dimension. The assessors were able to evaluate and differentiate honey types without previous sensory training. Remarkably, two Kichwa ladies immediately spit out the false honey, in contrast to an acceptance study on 18-honeys, where the false honey was scored among the preferred ones by 58 participants of the First Congress on Apiculture and Meliponiculture in Ecuador. Therefore, results suggest that Ecuadorian native Kichwas keep a sensory legacy of ancestral knowledge with forest products such as honey.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis allows the simultaneous characterization of C-glycosyl and O-glycosyl flavonoids in stingless bee honeys.

The analysis of the phytochemicals present in stingless bee honey samples has been a difficult task due to the small amounts of samples available and to the complexity of the phytochemical composition that often combines flavonoid glycosides and aglycones. Honey samples produced in Venezuela from Melipona species were analyzed using a combination of solid-phase extraction and HPLC-DAD-MSn/ESI methodologies with specific study of the fragment ions produced from flavonoid glycosides. The analyses revealed that flavonoid glycosides were the main constituents. The honey samples analyzed contained a consistent flavonoid pattern composed of flavone-C-glycosides, flavonol-O-glycosides and flavonoid aglycones. The HPLC-DAD-MSn/ESI analysis and the study of the fragment ions obtained allowed the characterization and quantification for the first time of five apigenin-di-C-glycosides, and ten quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin O-glycosides (di- and tri- glycosides), and the aglycones pinobanksin, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin in the different samples. This is the first report of flavonoid-C-glycosides in honey. The results show that the content of flavonoid-glycosides (mean values of 2712 µg/100 g) in stingless bee honeys is considerably higher than the content of flavonoid aglycones (mean values of 315 µg/100 g). This differs from previous studies on Apis mellifera honeys that consistently showed much higher aglycone content and smaller flavonoid glycoside content. The occurrence of relevant amounts of flavonoid glycosides, and particularly C-glycosides, in stingless bee honeys could be associated with their putative anticataract properties.

Properties of honey from ten species of Peruvian stingless bees.

Honey produced by ten stingless bee species (Melipona crinita, M. eburnea, M. grandis, M. illota, Nannotrigona melanocera, Partamona epiphytophila, Ptilotrigona lurida, Scaptotrigona polystica, Scaura latitarsis, and Tetragonisca angustula) from Peru has been characterized according to traditional physicochemical standards (color and moisture), biochemical components (flavonoids, polyphenols, nitrites, proteins), and bioactive properties (antibacterial activity, antioxidant capacity). Analytical data are also provided for a sample of Apis mellifera and an artificial honey control. For stingless bees, honey color varied between 26 and 150 mm Pfund. M. illota produced the lightest honey, while N. melanocera and T. angustula were the darkest. Moisture varied between 20.8 and 45.8 g water/100 g, confirming higher moisture for stingless bee honey than the A. mellifera honey standard of 20 g water/100 g. Flavonoids varied from 2.6 to 31.0 mg quercetin equivalents/100g, nitrites from 0.30 to 2.88 micromoles nitrites/100 g, polyphenols from 99.7 to 464.9 mg gallic acid equivalents/100g, proteins from 0.75 to 2.86 g/100 g, and the antioxidant capacity from 93.8 to 569.6 micromoles Trolox equivalents/100 g. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was slightly lower against Staphylococcus aureus (12.5 -50 g/100 mL) than Escherichia coli (50 g/100 mL).

Uso del polen apícola como bioindicador ambiental en la determinación de plomo en el municipio Antonio Pinto Salinas, del estado Mérida-Venezuela / Bee pollen used as environmental bioindicator in the determination of lead in Antonio Pinto Salinas municipality, in Merida - Venezuela

El análisis polínico de las mieles proporciona información sobre las preferencias de las abejas y permiten determinar su origen botánico y geográfico. Por esta razón, el polen apícola por ser el segundo producto más consumido proveniente de la colmena, puede contener oligoelementos cuyas cantidades varían de una planta a otra, permitiéndole actuar como un bioindicador de contaminación ambiental, debido a que se puede determinar si existen trazas de minerales tóxicos como el plomo y el mercurio. En el presente trabajo se evaluó la concentración de plomo (Pb) en polen apícola producto de distintas colmenas del Municipio Pinto Salinas del estado Mérida. El análisis de Pb se realizó por espectroscopía de absorción atómica, con atomización electrotérmica (ETAAS). Se encontró una concentración promedio de Pb entre (0,198 -0,288) mg Pb /kg de polen apícola fresco. El método para el análisis de plomo fue realizado mediante estudios de recuperación, obteniéndose un valor de (97-104) %, con una desviación estándar relativa (DER %) < 3 % (n = 7), lo cual indica que el método empleado fue exacto y preciso. Lo que indica que la metodología aplicada en polen apícola podría ser utilizada como un método de rutina para evaluar la contaminación de plomo en el medio ambiente.

Pollen analysis of honey provides information about the preferences of bees and can determine its botanical and geographical origin. Therefore, bee pollen as the second most consumed product from the hive, which may contain trace amounts vary from one plant to another, enabling it to act as a biomarker of environmental pollution, because it can determine whether there are traces of toxic minerals such as lead and mercury. In this study we evaluated the concentration of Pb in bee pollen produced in different colonies of Pinto Salinas Municipality of the Mérida State. Pb analysis was performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy with electrothermal atomization (ETAAS). We found an average concentration of Pb from (0,198 -0,288) mg Pb / kg of fresh bee pollen The method for lead analysis was evaluated by recovery studies, obtaining a value of (97-104) %, with a standard relative standard (RSD%) < 3% (n=7), indicating that the method was accurate, precise. This indicates that the methodology used in bee pollen could be used as a routine method to assess lead contamination in the environment.

Composition and antioxidant activity of Trigona carbonaria honey from Australia.

Stingless bees (Tribe Meliponini) are a diverse group of highly eusocial bees distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics. Trigona carbonaria honey, from Australia, was characterized by traditional physicochemical parameters (acidity, sugars, diastase, electrical conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural, invertase, nitrogen, and water content) and other compositional factors (flavonoids, polyphenols, organic acids, and water activity), as well as total antioxidant capacity and radical scavenging activity. For the Australian T. carbonaria, the traditional analytical parameters were similar to those previously reported for neotropical stingless bee honey and confirm that honeys produced by Meliponini bees possess several physicochemical properties that are distinctly different from Apis mellifera honey, with higher values of moisture (26.5 +/- 0.8 g of water/100 g of honey), water activity (0.74 +/- 0.01), electrical conductivity (1.64 +/- 0.12 mS/cm), and free acidity (124.2 +/- 22.9 mEq/kg of honey) and a very low diastase activity (0.4 +/- 0.5 diastase number) and invertase activity (5.7 +/- 1.5 invertase number). The sugar spectrum was quite different from that of A. mellifera honey, with 20.3 +/- 2.9 g of maltose/100 g of honey. The values of pH (4.0 +/- 0.1), lactonic acidity (4.7 +/- 0.8 mEq/kg of honey), sucrose (1.8 +/- 0.4 g/100 g of honey), and fructose/glucose ratio (1.42 +/- 0.13) fell in the same ranges as those of A. mellifera honey. Citric (0.23 +/- 0.09) and malic (0.12 +/- 0.03) acid concentrations (in g/kg of honey) of T. carbonaria honeys were in the range described for A. mellifera honey. D-Gluconic was more concentrated (9.9 +/- 1.3 g/kg of honey), in the range of Italian Castanea, Thymus, Arbutus, and honeydew honeys. Flavonoid content was 10.02 +/- 1.59 mg of quercetin equivalents/100 g of honey, and polyphenol contents were 55.74 +/- 6.11 mg of gallic acid equivalents/100 g of honey. The antioxidant activity, expressed as percentage of 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation (ABTS(*+)) decolorization, was 233.96 +/- 50.95 microM Trolox equivalents, and free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(*)) depletion was 48.03 +/- 12.58 equivalents of ascorbic acid. All reported values are averages +/- standard deviation. The antioxidant activity can represent an important added value for T. carbonaria honey, to initiate a medicinal approach for both nutritional and pharmaceutical applications, besides further physicochemical characterization.

Antioxidant activity of four color fractions of bee pollen from Mérida, Venezuela

Bee pollen has been reported to show antioxidant and radical scavenging activities; contributing to anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective properties. Venezuelan honeybee pollen has been little studied, but is consumed because its properties are known from other countries reports. On the basis of these reports, water, ethanol and methanol soluble fractions were prepared from dried bee-pollen commercially available and produced by La Montaña farm (Mérida, Venezuela). These fractions were evaluated for their functional properties, specifically, polyphenol content and total antioxidant activity. Pollen samples were separated by color in four fractions: yellow, brown, orange and ochre. Polyphenol content ranged between 396.7 to 1286.7 gallic acid equivalents GAE/100 g pollen; it was highest in pollen homogenates obtained with ethanol, followed by those obtained with methanol and water. The antioxidant activity ranged from 0.50 to 1.84 μmoles Trolox equivalents TEAC/100 g for water and ethanol homogenates respectively. The results presented in this work suggest that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent antioxidant activity, comparable to human plasma, probably due to total polyphenol content of bee pollen. This is important because the bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food.

Actividad antioxidante de polen apícola de Mérida, Venezuela, fraccionado en cuatro colores. Se ha reportado que el polen de las abejas tiene actividad antioxidante y secuestra radicales libres; relacionada con sus propiedades antiinflamatorias y gastroprotectivas. El polen apícola de Venezuela ha sido poco estudiado, pero se consume gracias a las propiedades conocidas por reportes provenientes de otros países. Tomando como base estos reportes, se prepararon fracciones solubles en agua, etanol y metanol del polen apícola seco comercialmente disponible y producido por la Granja La Montaña (Mérida, Venezuela). Estas fracciones fueron evaluadas en cuanto a sus propiedades funcionales, específicamente, contenido de polifenoles y la actividad antioxidante total. Las muestras de polen fueron separadas en cuatro fracciones de acuerdo al color: amarillo, marrón, naranja y ocre. El contenido de polifenoles se encontraba entre 396,7 a 1286,7 equivalentes de ácido gálico EAG/100 g de polen, y fue mayor en los homogenatos obtenidos con etanol, seguido por aquellos obtenidos con metanol y agua. La actividad antioxidante varió entre 0.50 a 1.84 μmoles equivalentes de Trolox TEAC/100 g par los homogenatos de agua y etanol respectivamente. Los resultados presentados en este trabajo sugieren los extractos de etanol de polen de abejas presentan una potente actividad antioxidante, comparable al plasma humano, probablemente debida a su contenido total de polifenoles. Esto es importante ya que el polen de abejas podría servir no solo como un suplemento alimenticio sino como una alimento funcional.

Conociendo la miel de Melipona favosa en la Península de Paraguaná, estado Falcón, Venezuela / Knowing the Melipona favosa honey from Paraguaná Peninsula, Falcon state, Venezuela

Diversas especies de abejas sin aguijón producen miel de botija en Venezuela, la cual no está incluida en las normas venezolanas de calidad. Una de estas especies, la Meli po na favosa, vive en la Península de Paraguaná, donde se conoce como erica o maba. A fin de conocer las mieles de M. favosa, se realizó la determinación de su origen botánico, su caracterización físicoquímica según los métodos de la norma COVENIN 2136-84 para miel de abejas y contenido de nitrógeno por microkjeldahl, y de actividad biológica con métodos espectrofotométricos y de concentración inhibitoria mínima, en seis mieles. Son mieles claras de color ámbar entre 18 y 79 mm Pfund. La composición físicoquímica varió así: acidez libre 12,72-95,86 meq/kg, pH 3,53-4,44, humedad 25,40-32,00 g agua/100 g, 0,01-0.16 g ce ni zas/100g, 10,48-57,55 mgN/100 g, 62,60-69,50 g azúcares reductores/100 g, 0,60-5,10 g sacarosa aparente/100 g, flavonoides 0,10-8,15 mgEQ/100g miel, y polifenoles 51,50-217,19 mgEAG/100 g. La actividad antibac teriana (g miel/100 mL medio de cultivo) fue mayor contra E. coli (12.50-50,00) que contra S. aureus (50,00- 50,00). La actividad antioxidante se ubicó en un rango bajo a alto para mieles, con 45,91-227,92 mmoles equivalentes de Trolox/100 g. El análisis melisopalinológico indicó polen dominante del género Portulaca y la especie Carica papaya.

Diverse species of stingless bees produce por honey in Venezuela,which is not included in the Venezuelan regulations of honey quality. One of these species , the Melipona favosa, lives in the Paraguaná Peninsula, where it is known as erica or maba. In order to know the honeys of M. favosa, the botanical origin was determined, their physicochemical characterization was done according to the methods of the norm COVENIN 2136-84 for honey, the nitrogen content by microkjeldahl, and biological activity by spectrophotometric and minimum inhibitory concentration methods, in six ho neys. They are light honey amber color between 18 and 79 mm Pfund. The physicochemical composition varied as follows: free acidity 12.72- 95.86 meq/kg, pH 3.53-4.44, moisture 25.40-32.00 g water/100 g, 0.01-0.16 g ash/100g, 10.48-57.55 mgN/100 g, 62.60-69.50 g reducing su gars/100 g, 0.60-5.10 g apparent sucrose/100 g, flavonoids 0.10-8.15 mgQE/100g honey, and polyphenols 51.50-217.19 mgGAE/100 g. The antibacterial ac tivity (g ho ney/100 mLculture media) was higher against E. coli (12.50-50.00) than S. aureus (50.00-50.00). The antioxidant activity was in a low to high range for honeys, with 45.91- 227.92 mmoles Trolox equivalents/100 g.

How a Huottuja (Piaroa) community perceives genuine and false honey from the Venezuelan Amazon, by free-choice profi le sensory method

Pot honey is the most abundant honey in the forest, produced by many species of stingless bees (Meliponini) of the Huottuja (Piaroa) community in Paria Grande, Venezuela. However, the commercialization of this honey is low, and false honeys, which are sold in labelled bottles, are easily found in the market. This study has investigated the ability of an untrained panel of Piaroa assessors to differentiate the genuine from the false pot honey using the Free-choice profile. This sensory method allows consumers to use their own words to describe and to quantify sensory attributes of a product. The genuine honeys, light amber Melipona fuscopilosa "isabitto" and dark amber Tetragona clavipes "ajavitte", the false light and dark "angelita" honeys, and the amber Apis mellifera honey, were evaluated. Sensory attributes related to the appearance, color, odor, flavor and mouthfeel were elicited in a qualitative session and were quantified in 10-cm unstructured line scales using individual score sheets. The data were analyzed by Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA). The bidimensional plot successfully separated genuine from false pot honeys. The first dimension (39.50 percent) was represented by the low viscosity, fermented odor and sour taste, whereas the second dimension (24.69 percent) was related to fruity and honey odor and flavor. Huottuja assessors differentiated the five honey types in terms of the perceived sensory characteristics.

Palynological evaluation of bee pollen load batches from the venezuelan Andes of Misintá / Evaluación palinológica de de lotes de carga de polen apícola de los Andes Venezolanos de Misintá

Além de mel, o pólen apícola é o produto mais bem conhecido pelos consumidores em relação a suas propriedades nutricionais e medicinais. Foram coletadas dez amostras de pólen apícola fresco, por meio de um caça-pólen, durante dez meses, de dezembro 2004 a outubro 2005, no Páramo de Misintá, Mérida, Venezuela. As amostras foram avaliadas no presente trabalho usando duas técnicas, uma considerando cargas isoladas de pólen e a outra usando dois gramas de cargas bem misturadas ("pool") por partida. A cor das cargas de pólen variou de verde claro e amarelo a marrom e ocre; as cores das cargas de pólen de Rosaceae, Eucalyptus e Hyp

Presencia de ácido láctico y otros compuestos semivolátiles en mieles de meliponini / Presence of lactic acid and other semivolatil compound in meliponini honeys

Durante el estudio de compuestos semivolátiles, se encontró ácido láctico en mieles producidas por cuatro especies de abejas sin aguijón. Además, se identificaron otros compuestos: ácido 2-etil-2-hidroxi-propanoico en mieles de Melipona favosa, 5-(hidroximetil)-2-furancarboxaldehído y a-(fenilmetil)-benceno etanol, en mieles de Scaptotrigona mexicana, 2-butanol, eneicosano y heptacosano en mieles deTrigona carbonaria.

During the study of semivolatile compounds, lactic acid was found in the honey produced by four species of stingless bees. Moreover, other compounds were identified: 2-ethylhydroxy- propanoic acid in Melipona favosa honeys, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furancarboxaldehyde and a-phenylmethyl benzene ethanol in Scaptotrigona mexicana honey, 2-butanol, heneicosane and heptacosane in Trigona carbonaria honey.

Estudio incesante de meliponini al estilo de JMF Camargo / Incessant study of meliponini in the style of JMF Camargo

El entomólogo, naturalista y artista João Maria Franco de Ca margo fue un científico que estudió las abejas sin aguijón (Meliponini) con singular interés. La enorme biodiversidad de estas primeras abejas del planeta, fue para él una inagotable mina de inspiración, curiosidad y trabajo intelectual. Docente, investigador y dibujante privilegiado de la academia. Académico por vocación, inició la mayor colección de abejas tropicales con 150.000 abejas. Co la borador incondicional y perfeccionista, guardián de los detalles. Ge neroso con su exuberante conocimiento es pe cializado en sistemática y biogeografía. Su admirable contacto con las abejas fue el legado de su vida. Este ine fable asombro por el mundo de los Meliponini generó im portantes preguntas y laboriosas respuestas, que se irradiaron y motivaron a los más jóvenes. Las enseñanzas originales de su maestro Jesús Santiago Moure, crecieron y se multiplicaron en el fértil discípulo que fue João Maria Franco de Ca mar go, quien a su vez preparó a Silvia Regina de Menezes Pedro, actual curadora de la colección de abejas en Ribeirão Preto.

The entomologist, naturalist and artist João Maria Franco de Camargo was a scientist who studied stingless bees (Me li ponini) with singular interest. The enormous biodiversity of these first bees in the planet, was for him an inexhaus tible mine of inspiration, curiosity and intelectual work. Acade mic lecturer, researcher and privileged drawer. Academic by vocation, initiated the biggest collection of tropical bees with 150.000 bees. Unconditional collaborator and perfectionist, guardian of details. Generous with his exuberant specialized knowledge in systematics and biogeography. His admirable contact with the bees was the legacy of his life. This ineffable amazement for the Meliponini world generated important questions and laborious answers, irradiating and motivating the youngests. The original teachings of his master Jesús Santiago Mou re, grew and multiplied in the fertile disciple João Maria Fran co de Camargo, who also trained Silvia Regina de Me nezes Pedro, current curator of the bee collection in Ri beirão Preto.

Sphingosine kinase signalling in immune cells.

1. Sphingolipids are potent second messengers modulating biochemical intracellular events and acting as ligands to mediate extracellular systems. Sphingosine kinase (SPHK) is the enzyme that phosphorylates sphingosine into sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a potent bioactive sphingolipid. 2. The fact that SPHK is highly conserved from protozoa to mammals and is ubiquitous in living tissues reveals important roles of the SPHK pathway for the maintenance of health maintenance. This is also supported by comprehensive reviews on features of its main product, S1P, as having intracellular as well as extracellular roles, inducing a wide range of physiological responses from triggering Ca2+ release from internal stores to promoting growth and cell motility. 3. Immune cell activities have been shown to be modulated by the dynamic balance between ceramide, sphingosine and S1P, conceptualized as a rheostat. Cell proliferation, differentiation, motility and survival have been attributed to the regulatory actions of S1P. The properties of SPHK activity in immune cells are linked to the functions of triggered growth and survival factors, phorbol esters, hormones, cytokines and chemokines, as well as antigen receptors, such as FcgammaRI and FcepsilonRI. 4. Mechanisms of the SPHK signalling pathway are explored as new targets for drug development to suppress inflammation and other pathological conditions.