Lamiaceae honey: polyphenol profile, vitamin C content, antioxidant and in vitro anti-inflammatory, cholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity

Abstract

The present work aimed to study some biochemical characteristics and in vitro health properties of Lamiaceae (mint, basil, oregano, rosemary, savory, and thyme) honey. The biochemical aspects regarded the polyphenol content and composition of the honey, as well as its amount of vitamin C. The health properties were assessed through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and the effect in inhibiting the three enzymes acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase, known as implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. Mint honey and rosemary honey exhibited the highest (496.41 µg/g of product) and lowest (66.55 µg/g) total polyphenol content, respectively. Basil and oregano honey showed the best anti-inflammatory activity; on the contrary, savory and rosemary honey were inactive. Mint honey exhibited the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (21.7 %) and butyrylcholinesterase activity (11.2 %). It also effectively inhibited the enzyme tyrosinase (IC50= 10.82 mg). Therefore, mint honey also performed best as an antioxidative (IC50=9.58 mg/ml in the test with diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; 11.02 μM Trolox equivalent/g). The correlation performed considering the biochemistry overview, including the polyphenol profile and the functional answer exhibited by the honey, allowed us to identify the molecules that can affect the properties indicated above, offering hope for potential neurodegenerative disease management.