Effect of the Peroxide Activity of Bashkir Linden Honey on Antibacterial Activity

Bashkir linden honey is known not only for its unique aroma and delicate taste, but also for its medicinal antibacterial properties. One of the components responsible for the bactericidal properties of honey is hydrogen peroxide, which is formed as a result of enzymatic oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid by glucose oxidase, the enzyme produced by bees. However, there are no data in the literature on the studies of the peroxide antibacterial properties of Bashkir honey. The present study deals with the quantitative determination of the hydrogen peroxide content in Bashkir linden honey collected from various natural and agricultural zones of the Republic of Bashkortostan. According to the results of the melissopalinological analysis, all the studied 39 honey samples are floral monofloral linden honey. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide in all samples ranges within 0-51.97 mg/kg center dot h. The high diversity in the sensitivity of the investigated strains of opportunistic microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the tested samples of linden honey suggests the presence of both peroxide and non-peroxide mechanisms of antibacterial activity. Non-peroxide antibacterial activity can be represented by the honey components of bee, plant and microbial origin: organic acids, antimicrobial proteins and peptides, as well as bacteriocins.