Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of different floral honeys from Western Ghats of Karnataka

Honey has a wide range of therapeutic properties which depend largely on floral sources. In this study six honey samples collected from different locations of Western Ghats of Karnataka were screened for total phenolic and flavonoid content, potential antioxidant activity and antibacterial effects. The total phenol and flavonoids content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and Aluminum chloride method respectively and also honeys were analysed by HPLC. The antioxidant properties of these samples were assessed by DPPH* (2, 2-diphenyl -1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity. The antibacterial tests were done by using gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Eschiershea coli) bacteria. The result of the study suggests that, these honeys are not only interesting source for antibacterial activity but also potential source of antioxidant. All the 6 honey samples did not show the bacterial growth inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus. The difference between honey samples in terms of antioxidant and antibacterial activity could be attributed to the natural variation in composition and also to different floral sources of nectar