Determination of Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Anticholinergic, Antiglaucoma Properties and Comprehensive Phytochemical Content by LC-MS/MS of Bingöl Honeybee Pollen

Abstract

Honeybee pollen is the most important food and protein source for bees. It is a highly nutritious natural product for humans due to its content. Pollen shows different phytochemical content and variable biological activity according to different geography and vegetation. Therefore, in this study, the comprehensive phytochemical content by LC-MS/MS, and its antioxidant properties by different assays, with enzyme inhibition potential; antidiabetic, anticholinergic, and antiglaucoma properties, were determined from a pollen sample from Bingöl province, one of the significant beekeeping centers in Türkiye. As a result of LC-MS/MS, 15 metabolites were determined, and the highest concentration of quinic acid (1.531 mg analyte/g extract) was found. Antioxidant results: total phenolic content 113.14 mg GAE/g, total flavonoid content 64.11 mg QE/g, Fe³⁺ reduction 0.43 μg/mL, CUPRAC 0.511 μg/mL, FRAP 0.976 μg/mL, DPPH IC₅₀: 1.06 μg/mL, ABTS IC₅₀: 0.933 μg/mL, and DMPD IC₅₀: 0.598 μg/mL. In addition, pollen showed antiglaucoma, anticholinergic, and antidiabetic properties by inhibiting carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme II (hCA II), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and α- amylase enzymes, respectively. In this study, it was determined that Bingöl pollen has a comprehensive phytochemical content and antioxidant properties and, for the first time, inhibits hCA II, AChE, and α-amylase enzymes.