Non-peroxide antibacterial activity of honey produced by an Afrotropical stingless bee, Meliponula (Axestotrigona) ferruginea

Abstract

Honey is a medicinal food that is widely utilized in traditional and complementary medicine. Amidst the contemporary challenge of antibiotic resistance, honey emerges as a promising natural antimicrobial agent. The efficacy of honey in therapy hinges on its mechanisms of antimicrobial activity. Therefore, this study investigated the non-peroxide antibacterial properties of honey sourced from Meliponula (Axestotrigona) ferruginea, a stingless bee species that is commonly managed in the African tropics. The findings reveal that stingless bee honey exhibits remarkable inhibitory effect against both resistant and susceptible bacterial strains. Notably, the studied honey samples retained a substantial portion of their antibacterial potency (89.9 - 98.7%) after the removal of hydrogen peroxide. Interestingly, the antibacterial activity of honey did not correlate with its total phenolic and flavonoid content, suggesting the influence of specific bioactive compounds rather than the overall phytochemical content. Stingless bee honey was most effective against Gram-positive bacterial strains, particularly Staphylococcus aureus. These results underscore the therapeutic potential of stingless bee honey for the management of pathogenic bacteria, including resistant strains. Future investigations should focus on elucidating the specific bioactive compounds present in stingless bee honey to bolster its clinical applications.