Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 19, 2025
08:42
Methods for Comparing Nutrients in Beebread Made by Africanized and European Honey Bees and the Effects on Hemolymph Protein Titers
Published on: March 17, 2015
10.9K
Bee Bread Exhibits Higher Antimicrobial Potential Compared to Bee Pollen
Karolina Pełka1, Olga Otłowska1, Randy W Worobo2
1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, ul. G. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland.
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 2, 2021
Summary
Ethanolic extracts of bee bread (BB) demonstrated significant antimicrobial potential against Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA strains. Bee pollen (BP) showed some inhibitory effects, but BB extracts were more potent.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Food Science
Background:
- Bee bread (BB) and bee pollen (BP) are natural products with potential health benefits.
- Antimicrobial properties of natural products are of interest for combating bacterial infections.
- Limited research exists on the comparative antimicrobial efficacy of BB and BP extracts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts and suspensions of bee bread (BB) and bee pollen (BP).
- To determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) against Staphylococcus aureus.
- To evaluate the efficacy against clinical isolates, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Main Methods:
- Preparation of ethanolic extracts from 19 bee bread and 30 bee pollen samples from Poland.
- Testing antimicrobial activity using broth microdilution method in Mueller Hinton Broth (MHB).
- Determination of MIC and MBC values against reference strains (S. aureus ATCC 25923, ATCC 29213) and clinical isolates.
Main Results:
- Bee bread extracts showed higher antimicrobial potential than bee pollen extracts against Staphylococcus aureus.
- MIC values for active BB extracts ranged from 2.5 to 10% (v/v) against S. aureus reference strains.
- Active BB extracts inhibited MRSA strains at concentrations of 2.5–5.0% (v/v), with MBC values in a similar range.
Conclusions:
- Ethanolic extracts of bee bread possess significant antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA.
- Bee pollen extracts exhibited moderate antimicrobial effects, with less potency compared to bee bread.
- No correlation was found between the phenolic content and the observed antimicrobial activity.
