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Planta Med 2007; 73(11): 1182-1189
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-981598
Pharmacology
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Antioxidant and Radical Scavenging Activity of Honey in Endothelial Cell Cultures (EA.hy926)

Giangiacomo Beretta1 , Marica Orioli1 , Roberto Maffei Facino1
  • 1Istituto di Chimica Farmaceutica e Tossicologica ”Pietro Pratesi”, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Further Information

Publication History

Received: April 6, 2007 Revised: July 9, 2007

Accepted: July 17, 2007

Publication Date:
07 September 2007 (online)

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Abstract

The therapeutic properties of honey, once considered a form of folk or preventive medicine, are acquiring importance for the treatment of acute and chronic free radical-mediated diseases (atherosclerosis, diabetes and cancer). The aim of this work was to study the protective activity of a honey of multifloral origin, standardized for total antioxidant power and analytically profiled (HPLC-MS) in antioxidants, in a cultured endothelial cell line (EA.hy926) subjected to oxidative stress. Cumene hydroperoxide (CuOOH) was used as free radical promoter. Native honey (1 % w/v pH 7.4, 106 cells) showed strong quenching activity against lipophilic cumoxyl and cumoperoxyl radicals, with significant suppression/prevention of cell damage, complete inhibition of cell membrane oxidation, of intracellular ROS production and recovery of intracellular GSH. Experiments with endothelial cells fortified with the isolated fraction from native honey enriched in antioxidants, exposed to peroxyl radicals from 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (AAPH, 10 mM) and to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 50 - 100 μM), indicated that phenolic acids and flavonoids were the main causes of the protective effect. These results provide unequivocal evidence that, through the synergistic action of its antioxidants, honey by reducing and removing ROS, may lower the risks and effects of acute and chronic free radical induced pathologies in vivo.

Key words

Honey - endothelial cells - radical scavenging activity - antioxidant fraction - GSH

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Dr. Giangiacomo Beretta

Istituto di Chimica Farmaceutica e Tossicologica

Faculty of Pharmacy

University of Milan

viale Abruzzi 42

20131 Milan

Italy

Phone: +39-02-5031-7519

Fax: +39-02-5031-7565

Email: giangiacomo.beretta@unimi.it

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