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Properties of honey from Tetragonisca angustula fiebrigi and Plebeia wittmanni of Argentina

Propriétés du miel produit par Tetragonisca angustula fiebrigi et Plebeia wittmanni en Argentine

Die Eigenschaften von argentinischen Tetragonisca angustula fiebrigi- und Plebeia wittmanni-Honigen

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Abstract

The composition of honey samples of Plebeia wittmanni (n = 10) and Tetragonisca angustula fiebrigi (n = 12) was analysed. The colours of all collected honeys were amber to dark amber and the pH varied. Moisture was lower than reported for other stingless bee honeys. Conductivity and ash content of P. wittmanni honey were higher than for T. angustula fiebrigi. Acidity of P. wittmanni honey was the highest ever mentioned for all other Plebeia species. Total sugars and sucrose were higher in T. angustula fiebrigi than in P. wittmanni honey. T. angustula fiebrigi honey showed the highest sucrose content ever mentioned and was rich in oligosaccharides. Both honeys split off sucrose, α-glucosides, trehalose, and amylose. The strongest hydrolytic activity was on sucrose, with high activity for T. angustula fiebrigi honey. Raffinose was also hydrolyzed. The honey of both bees inhibited bacterial growth. These properties support, at least in part, the medicinal use of the stingless bee honey by native people.

Zusammenfassung

Stachellose Bienen sind einheimische Bienen der tropischen und subtropischen Zonen Amerikas und wurden von Einheimischen als Honigquelle und als Medizin benutzt. Von Zentralamerika bis ins tropische und subtropische Südamerika fanden ihre Honige Verwendung in der Behandlung von Infektionen der Augen, Wunden und des oberen Atmungstrakts, sowie als Abführmittel. Die Quechua-Sprache unterscheidet verschiedene Stachellose Bienen-Arten Nordwest-Argentiniens als tiusimi, yana, kayasan, kella und pusquillo. Die physikalischen Parameter und die Zusammensetzung von Honig der Arten Trigona (Tetragonisca) angustula fiebrigi und Plebeia wittmanni, die alle in der Provinz Tucumán, Argentinien gewonnen wurden, sind in Tabelle I zusammengestellt. Die Analyse der Zucker zeigte, dass Glukose und Sacharose die Hauptkomponenten bilden. Hinsichtlich der enzymatischen Aktivität dieser Honie konnten wir zeigen, dass sie in der Lage sind, Sacharose, α-Glykoside, Trehalose und Amylose aufzuspalten. Die stärkste hydrolytische Aktivität fanden wir bei zwei T. angustula fiebrigi-Honigen, wobei diese gegen Sacharose gerichtet war. Raffinose, ein Sacharose-ähnliches Oligosacharid wurde ebenfalls hydrolisiert (Tab. II). Verdünnte Honige von T. angustula fiebrigi (> 30 μL; 30 % w/v) und P. wittmanni (> 20 μL; 20 % w/v) zeigten anitbiotische Eigenschaften gegen verschiedene pathogene Bakterien (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis und Staphylococcus aureus) mit einer Konzentration von 108 CFU/mL (Tab. III). Diese Eigenschaften erklären die medizinische Verwendung der Honige Stachelloser Bienen in ihren Ursprungsländern, v.a durch die einheimische Bevölkerung.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cátedra de Fitoquímica, Instituto de Estudios Vegetales “Dr. A. R. Sampietro”, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina

    Melina Araceli Sgariglia, Marta Amelia Vattuone, José Rodolfo Soberón & Diego Alejandro Sampietro

  2. Cátedra de Antropología Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto “Miguel Lillo”, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán Ayacucho 471, 4000, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina

    María Marta Sampietro Vattuone

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  1. Melina Araceli Sgariglia
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  2. Marta Amelia Vattuone
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  3. María Marta Sampietro Vattuone
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  4. José Rodolfo Soberón
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  5. Diego Alejandro Sampietro
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Correspondence to Marta Amelia Vattuone.

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Manuscript editor: Klaus Hartfelder

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Sgariglia, M.A., Vattuone, M.A., Vattuone, M.M.S. et al. Properties of honey from Tetragonisca angustula fiebrigi and Plebeia wittmanni of Argentina. Apidologie 41, 667–675 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1051/apido/2010028

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