Bioactive polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of Azara petiolaris and Azara integrifolia honeys

Abstract

Chilean beekeeping is characterized by a variety of honey types, some unique due to a high participation of native plant species where nectar is collected by bees. For the first time flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity in honeys of species Azara integrifolia and Azara petiolaris, commonly known as corcolén honeys, have been determined. The results showed a high content of total phenol (between 48.79 and 153.30 mg GAE/100 g honey), while flavonoid content ranged between 8.80 and 12.33 mg QE/100 g honey. The ORAC-FL assay values varied between 2.15 and 7.74 μmol trolox/g honey, while ORAC-PGR assay values varied between 0.33 and 4.49 μmol trolox/g honey. Two phenolic acids (caffeic, coumaric acids) and three flavonoids (pinocembrin, chrysin, and luteolin) were identified by UHPLC-MS/MS in all honey samples. These results correlate with Azara sp. nectar contribution to the samples.