Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities, Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents of Bee Pollen Crude Extracts

Abstract

Bee pollen is a natural product from honeybees which is rich in bioactive compounds. Bee pollen grain and powder were extracted using conventional and sonication extraction methods. All bee pollen crude extracts could not inhibit growth of test pathogenic bacteria. The antioxidant activity was analyzed via DPPH free radical scavenging activity assay and found that the ethanolic extract of bee pollen grain obtained by conventional method had the highest antioxidant activities (p<0.05), 40.69±3.01 mg GAE/g extract. When phenolic content was evaluated, the aqueous extract of bee pollen grain by conventional method showed the highest total phenolic content (103.06±1.96 mg GAE/g extract) while ethanolic extract of bee pollen powder by conventional method exhibited the highest flavonoid content, 56.40±4.85 mg QE/g extract. The data obtained provides the guideline for insightful evaluation of bee pollen biological activities for designation of novel supplementary food products in the future.