Narrow Results

We developed an original preparation method for honey samples (samples in paste-like state) specifically designed for PIXE analysis. The results of PIXE analysis of thin targets prepared by adding a standard containing nine elements to honey samples demonstrated that the preparation method bestowed sufficient accuracy on quantitative values. PIXE analysis of 13 kinds of honey was performed, and eight mineral components (Si, P, S, K, Ca, Mn, Cu and Zn) were detected in all honey samples. The principal mineral components were K and Ca, and the quantitative value for K accounted for the majority of the total value for mineral components. K content in honey varies greatly depending on the plant source. Chestnuts had the highest K content. In fact, it was 2–3 times that of Manuka, which is known as a high quality honey. K content of false-acacia, which is produced in the greatest abundance, was 1/20 that of chestnuts.

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This study was focused on the optimization of preparing a curcumin-loaded coconut oil and honey nanoemulsion using a low energy emulsifying technique. Curcumin is a bioactive compound with low bioavailability and stability. Response surface methodology (RSM) with Box Behnken design was used to optimize the base formulation based on the three independent variables such as honey (1–3%), virgin coconut oil (1.0–1.5%) and Tween 80 (5.0–9.0%) to obtain low particle size (10.11nm), polydispersity index (0.27) and turbidity (0.24–1.11) system. Subsequently, the second optimization was carried out after curcumin was loaded into the base formulation. Another three independent variables such as polyethelene glycol (0.8–1.5%), curcumin (0.01–0.1%) and honey (1.8–2.4%) were used to produce the nanorange of particle size (14.32nm), narrow polydispersity index (0.152), and high encapsulation efficiency (98.0%). The curcumin-loaded nanoemulsion was found to have high stability with only 8.5% increment in particle size after storage for three months at 4^∘C and 45^∘C. The radical scavenging activity of encapsulated curcumin in nanoemulsion was decreased ($<20$%) compared to free curcumin. Nanoemulsion appeared to increase in vitro release rate of curcumin by about 42%, especially for the first 2h in Franz diffusion cell using rat skin.

In this work, the antibacterial activities of natural Ethiopian honey and iron (Fe)-/nickel (Ni)-doped ZnO nanoparticles against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were investigated. The test strains used were Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus ATCC25923) and Escherichia coli (E. coli ATCC25922). The co-precipitation method was used to prepare Fe- and Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study revealed that the prepared samples have hexagonal crystal structure with a preferred orientation along the (101) plane. The average crystal sizes for iron and nickel-doped NPs were 39.09nm and 34.30nm, respectively. The energy dispersive analysis of X-ray spectra (EDX) analyses confirmed the presence of Zn, O, Fe and Ni elements in the prepared NPs samples. A strong emission peak at 454nm was observed in the photoluminescence spectra of the NPs. In order to characterize the honey’s composition, variety of physico-chemical and optical approaches were used. The absorption spectra of the three samples of honey are comparable and exhibited a noticeable peak about 260nm. The FTIR analysis confirmed that the honey samples contained the expected functional groups. The agar well diffusion technique was used to investigate the antibacterial efficacy of Fe- and Ni-doped ZnO NPs as well as Ethiopian natural honey. The results show that against E. coli strains and S. aureus strains, respectively, Fe-doped and Ni-doped ZnO NPs had average inhibitory zones of 17.1mm, 15.7mm, 15.5mm and 14.7mm, respectively. Against the S. aureus strain, the natural honey displayed a maximal inhibition zone of 12.6mm and no inhibition zone at all for E. coli.

The rheological properties of two varities of Persian honeys were investigated over temperature range of 10-30°C. The honeys had a moisture content of 16.8-17.2% and exhibited Newtonian behaviour over shear rate range of 0-100 s^-1. The viscosity varied between 6.7 and 150 Pa.s according to honey type and temperature. The temperature dependence of viscosity was described using the Arrhenius model. The values of activation energy of honey samples are 104.5 and 109.7 kJ/mol for thyme and shahjahan variety, respectively.

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of "Camelyn M" active compound obtained from special sort of honey in one of region of Georgia, was determined both by agar and broth dilution methods against some of strains of bacteria and fungy. The antibacterial action of "Camelyn M" was further tested in animal models. "Camelyn M" was seen to possess powerful inhibitory action (0,012-0,150 μg/mL ) against most test bacteria in in vitro studies. In vivo studies showed that the drug offered significant protection (p<0.001) to mice challenged with a virulent bacterium.

"Camelyn M" exhibited potent in vitro activities against fluconazole-resistant strains of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei, with MICs at which 90% of isolates were inhibited of 0.012 μg/ml, respectively.

A simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the quantitative monitoring of eleven sulfonamides in honey was developed by coupling ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) to high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. Optimum DLLME conditions (5 mL of honey solution at pH=3, 50 μL [C₆MIM][PF₆] as extraction solvent and 0% (w/v) NaCl) allowed the repeatable, accurate and selective determination of 11 sulfonamides (sulfacetamide, sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfameter, sulfachloropyridazine, sulfadoxine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfisoxazole, sulfadimethoxine and sulfachinoxalin). The method was validated by means of the obtention of calibration curves of the whole method as well as a recovery study at two levels of concentration. The LODs in honey were in the range 0.006–0.015mg/kg, and the recoveries in spiked honey sample were between 85.3% and 97.4%.