Exploring the Palynological, Chemical, and Bioactive Properties of Non-Studied Bee Pollen and Honey from Morocco
Meryem Bakour,
Hassan Laaroussi,
Pedro Ferreira-Santos,
Zlatina Genisheva,
Driss Ousaaid,
José Antonio Teixeira,
Badiaa Lyoussi
Affiliations
Meryem Bakour
Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences Dhar Mehraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco
Hassan Laaroussi
Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences Dhar Mehraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco
Pedro Ferreira-Santos
CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Zlatina Genisheva
CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Driss Ousaaid
Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences Dhar Mehraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco
José Antonio Teixeira
CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Badiaa Lyoussi
Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences Dhar Mehraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco
Bee products are known for their beneficial properties widely used in complementary medicine. This study aims to unveil the physicochemical, nutritional value, and phenolic profile of bee pollen and honey collected from Boulemane–Morocco, and to evaluate their antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activity. The results indicate that Citrus aurantium pollen grains were the majority pollen in both samples. Bee pollen was richer in proteins than honey while the inverse was observed for carbohydrate content. Potassium and calcium were the predominant minerals in the studied samples. Seven similar phenolic compounds were found in honey and bee pollen. Three phenolic compounds were identified only in honey (catechin, caffeic acid, vanillic acid) and six phenolic compounds were identified only in bee pollen (hesperidin, cinnamic acid, apigenin, rutin, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol). Naringin is the predominant phenolic in honey while hesperidin is predominant in bee pollen. The results of bioactivities revealed that bee pollen exhibited stronger antioxidant activity and effective α-amylase and α-glycosidase inhibitory action. These bee products show interesting nutritional and bioactive capabilities due to their chemical constituents. These features may allow these bee products to be used in food formulation, as functional and bioactive ingredients, as well as the potential for the nutraceutical sector.
