Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Honey is a natural product that has been used over the centuries as a medicine due to its biological
activities. Centauri Cave Nymph Honey is a Cave honey extracted from 2500 meters high altitude
above sea level from a deep cave by professional speleologists and is located at Caucasus Mountains
of Turkey. The Apis mellifera Caucasica bee colony is located 50 kilometers away from human
residences, ensuring its isolation from other colonies and maintaining a varroa mite-free status.
The aim of this work is to analyze the physicochemical parameters and the bioactivity of Centauri
honey. The physiochemical parameters that have been examined include color, moisture content,
conductivity, pH, acidity, HMF (5-hydroxymethylfurfural), diastase index, and proline. In addition, it
was also evaluated the ash, protein, sugars, carbohydrates, and energy. The biological activity was
evaluated through the antioxidant (TBARS), antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity in different cell
lines (AGS, CaCo-2, MCF-7, NCI-H460, PLP2, HFF-2, and HaCat), and anti-inflammatory activity (RAW
264.7 macrophages). Ongoing research is focusing on the potential protetive effects of consuming Centauri Cave Honey against lung and prostate cancers. In vivo studies are expected to shed more
ligt on the additional health benefits that this honey may offer.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Filipe, Márcia Santos; Pires, Tânia C.S.P.; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Diaz-Lanza, Ana María; Vilas-Boas, Miguel; Falcão, Soraia; Rijo, Patrícia (2023). Centauri honey: a promising medicinal ingredient? In III Bio Natural-Bioactive Natural Products Research Meeting: abstract book. Lisboa.
Publisher
Universidade Lusófona