FLAVONOID/PHENOLIC PROFILE AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF RAW MONOFLORAL BEE POLLEN FROM SOUTH ROMANIA

Abstract

Bee pollen is known to possess many nutritional and therapeutic properties due to high nutritional value and important content of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to identify the most representative monofloral pollen types from south Romania and to characterize them in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Pollen identification was based on morphological characteristics examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and screening of bee pollen phenolic compounds were performed using capillary electrophoresis method. Antioxidant activity investigated using DPPH and ABTS radicals showed that scavenging activity of Brassica sp. pollen extract was superior to all extracts tested after both methods. A complete characterization of different monofloral pollen types from various geographical regions could be useful to develop analytical standards of bee pollen and also to perform the efficacy of this bee product in apitherapy.