Antioxidant Activity, DNA and Cellular Protective Effect of Honey from Srilanka

Honey is a natural product produced by honey bees. Its value is increasing in food industry because of its nutritional and medicinal properties. Besides this, it also contains certain volatile chemicals, phenolic acids, flavonoids and carotenoid like substances which play a major role in antioxidant properties. The composition of honey depends on the plant species visited by the honeybees. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant activity of Srilankan honey and its role in protecting DNA and erythrocytes from free radical induced oxidative damage. Total phenolic, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin content present in honey was measured, in addition antioxidant assays like 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, reducing power, β-carotene linoleic acid assay, α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition assay, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity and ability of chelating ferrous ions were also studied.