Published
2025-02-20
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Antibacterial potential of raw and commercial honey: Inhibition of escherichia coli strains in vitro
Mousumi RahmanSumi
Mousumi Rahman Sumi, Department of Microbiology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, mousumirahman207@gmail.com
Nisat Sultana
Nisat Sultana, Department of Microbiology, Stemz Health Care Limited, Bangladesh, nisat1995liza@gmail.com
Md. SujonAli
Md. Sujon Ali, Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia, msujonali07@gmail.com
Md. AshiqurRahman
Md. Ashiqur Rahman, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Novus Clinical Research Services Limited, Dhaka, Bangladesh, ararashiqur@gmail.com
Rayhan Chowdhury
Rayhan Chowdhury, Department of Applied Laboratory Sciences, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Bangladesh, rchowdhury2507@gmail.com
Sadia Islam
Sadia Islam, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Bangladesh Specialized Hospital PLC, Bangladesh, sadia.buhs.6700@gmail.com, Orcid id: 0009-0007-7932-3804
Keywords: Honey; Antimicrobial Activity; Escherichia coli; Raw Honey; Commercial Honey
Abstract
Background: Honey has long been valued for its therapeutic properties, including its antimicrobial activity. The ability of honey to inhibit bacterial growth has been attributed to its bioactive constituents, such as hydrogen peroxide, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Additionally, honey’s low pH, high osmolarity, and the presence of compounds like methylglyoxal (MGO) further contribute to its antibacterial effects. These properties make honey not only an effective antimicrobial agent but also a promising natural alternative to conventional antibiotics, especially in the face of rising antibiotic resistance. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial properties of raw and commercial honey against Escherichia coli and the ATCC strain of E. coli to evaluate its potential as a natural antimicrobial agent. Methods: Four different types of raw honey were collected from various flowers, and three different commercial honey samples were obtained from nearby grocery stores. Five E. coli strains were cultured on Muller Hinton agar plates, sourced from a local microbiology laboratory. The antimicrobial activity of both raw and commercial honey was assessed using the agar well diffusion method. In this technique, wells were made in the agar, and honey samples were introduced to observe the inhibition of bacterial growth. Results: The results indicated the presence of antimicrobial activity, demonstrated by the inhibition zones around the honey wells. Though the zones were not clear, they confirmed that both raw and commercial honey were effective in preventing the growth of E. coli and the ATCC strain. Raw honey exhibited slightly larger inhibition zones compared to commercial honey, suggesting that raw honey may contain more bioactive compounds responsible for its antimicrobial effects. Conclusion: This study confirms that both raw and commercial honey possess antimicrobial activity against E. coli strains, with raw honey showing a stronger effect. These findings suggest that honey could be a potential alternative antimicrobial agent, especially in light of rising antibiotic resistance.
References
1.Mohapatra DP, Thakur V, Brar SK. Antibacterial efficacy of raw and processed honey. Biotechnology research international. 2011;2011(1):917505.
2.Almasaudi S. The antibacterial activities of honey. Saudi journal of biological sciences. 2021 Apr 1;28(4):2188-96.
3.Molan PC. The antibacterial activity of honey: 1. The nature of the antibacterial activity. Bee world. 1992 Jan 1;73(1):5-28.
4.Hossain ML, Lim LY, Hammer K, Hettiarachchi D, Locher C. A review of commonly used methodologies for assessing the antibacterial activity of honey and honey products. Antibiotics. 2022 Jul 20;11(7):975.
5.Irish J, Blair S, Carter DA. The antibacterial activity of honey derived from Australian flora. PloS one. 2011 Mar 28;6(3):e18229.
6.Terrab A, González AG, Díez MJ, Heredia FJ. Characterisation of Moroccan unifloral honeys using multivariate analysis. European food research and technology. 2003 Dec;218:88-95.
7.Weston RJ. The contribution of catalase and other natural products to the antibacterial activity of honey: a review. Food chemistry. 2000 Nov 1;71(2):235-9.
8.Snow MJ, Manley-Harris M. On the nature of non-peroxide antibacterial activity in New Zealand manuka honey. Food chemistry. 2004 Jan 1;84(1):145-7.
9.Bang LM, Buntting C, Molan P. The effect of dilution on the rate of hydrogen peroxide production in honey and its implications for wound healing. The Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine. 2003 Apr 1;9(2):267-73.
10.Cooke J, Dryden M, Patton T, Brennan J, Barrett J. The antimicrobial activity of prototype modified honeys that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) hydrogen peroxide. BMC research notes. 2015 Dec;8:1-5.
11.Jannat J, Islam S, Rahman MA, Ali MS, Rahaman S, Islam MN, Sakib KM. Determination of Antimicrobial Properties of Raw and Commercial Honey against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. International Journal of Pathogen Research. 2023 Oct 13;12(5):85-94.
12.Silici S, Sagdic O, Ekici L. Total phenolic content, antiradical, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Rhododendron honeys. Food chemistry. 2010 Jul 1;121(1):238-43.
13.Gül A, Pehlivan T. Antioxidant activities of some monofloral honey types produced across Turkey. Saudi journal of biological sciences. 2018 Sep 1;25(6):1056-65.
14.Roby MH, Abdelaliem YF, Esmail AH, Mohdaly AA, Ramadan MF. Evaluation of Egyptian honeys and their floral origins: Phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, and antimicrobial characteristics. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2020 Jun;27:20748-56.
15.Ibrahimi H, Hajdari A. Phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of honey from Kosovo. Journal of Apicultural Research. 2020 Aug 7;59(4):452-7.
16.Boussaid A, Chouaibi M, Rezig L, Hellal R, Donsì F, Ferrari G, Hamdi S. Physicochemical and bioactive properties of six honey samples from various floral origins from Tunisia. Arabian journal of chemistry. 2018 Feb 1;11(2):265-74.
17.Smetanska I, Alharthi SS, Selim KA. Physicochemical, antioxidant capacity and color analysis of six honeys from different origin. Journal of King Saud University-Science. 2021 Jul 1;33(5):101447.