Study of the activity of sunflower honey against a mixed microbial association isolated from bees with signs of dyspepsia in laboratory conditions

Abstract

Beekeeping is one of the essential branches of agriculture in Ukraine, the main activity of which is aimed at breeding bees and obtaining honey and other products beneficial for human health. Maintaining the physiological state of bee colonies at the proper level is one of the essential tasks of veterinary medicine doctors and beekeepers. Compliance with veterinary and sanitary requirements at bee farms is the basis of preventing infectious pathologies in bee colonies. Since the body of insects has a fast metabolism, any infectious pathology quickly acquires a massive manifestation. One indicative symptom of infectious damage to the “gut” of bees is dyspepsia. Diarrhea, anorexia, and loss of productivity are observed in bees in this condition. The market of means to prevent such pathological manifestations in beekeeping is relatively narrow. The healing and favorable properties of honey, manifested in pain-relieving, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, have been known since ancient times. Sunflower honey differs from other types in a wide range of components, particularly phytoncides, which inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, the main goal of the experiment was a laboratory study of the effect of different concentrations of sunflower honey sieve on the mixed microbial association isolated from bees with signs of dyspepsia. The activity of sunflower honey in laboratory conditions was studied by the disco-diffusion method in Petri dishes on MPA medium (meat-peptone agar). To obtain syrup from sunflower honey, sunflower honey was diluted with distilled water in a ratio of 1:1, working solutions were prepared from sunflower honey syrup in dilutions of 1:2, 1:4, 1:10, 1:100. The data analysis indicates the bacteriostatic activity of the syrup from sunflower honey in all studied concentrations concerning the mixed microbial association. Moreover, the largest diameter of the growth inhibition zone of the studied microorganisms was noted when the syrup from sunflower honey was diluted in a ratio of 1:10 (19.2 ± 0.42 mm). In turn, the antagonistic effect of the syrup from sunflower honey was observed in all dilutions concerning the mixed microbial association, where the largest diameter of the antagonism was 19.6 ± 0.27 mm when the disc was impregnated with the native working solution. Thus, it is promising to accumulate and identify a pure culture antagonist concerning a mixed culture of bacteria isolated during bee diarrhea to further create a pharmacological agent for preventing infectious pathologies of bees in unhealthy apiaries.

Keywords

• honey, bee dyspepsia, mixed microbial association, antagonistic action