Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Apis florea Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Honey on Helicobacter pylori

Iranian men are at risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer caused by H. pylori. It is very imperative to find effective methods to control this bacterium as there are currently no very effective treatments for it. Honey has been shown to have antimicrobial properties against various pathogens. This study analyzed 15 honey samples from A. florea bees, collected from different floral and geographical origins, for their antimicrobial efficacy against H. pylori. Using atomic absorption measurements, the honey samples were also tested for their phenolic and flavonoid content, protein concentration, and mineral content. Antioxidant activity was determined using the FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS methods. The antibacterial activity of honey samples was investigated both in-vitro and in-vivo in the gastrointestinal tract of mice. Statistical analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity. All honey samples showed antimicrobial activity in-vitro, among which jujube honey from Bushehr exhibiting the highest activity. Differences in antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were likely due to the flora of the plants and the geographic region from which the honey was harvested. Based on these results, A. florea honey may be used in the prevention and treatment of H. pylori-associated infections and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. This feature can be applied to the control of Helicobacter pylori along with other available measures

Identification of Enterococcus bacteria in gastrointestinal tract of dwarf honey bee, Apis florea Fabricius, 1973 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Apis species that engage in symbiotic association with Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), have diverse functions on their hosts. This study was intended to isolate and identify aeoccus bacteria living in the gastrointestinal tract of Asian dwarf honey bee, Apis florea,in Iran. One hundred isolates were Gram-stained and tested for catalase reaction. By using bacterial universal primers, the 16S rDNA gene of bacterial colonies was amplified. 16S rDNA genes from thirty bacteria were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Enterococcus flora in the gastrointestinal tract of A. florea, contained five phenotypes which classified in the species E. faecium, E. faecalis and E. hirae.  Based on the specific association between bacteria and A. florea, we divided the Asian dwarf honey bee populations into four categories