Antioxidant activity of nest products of Tetragonisca angustula from Mérida, Venezuela

Abstract

There is abundant information about the antioxidant activity of honey, pollen and propolis, but antioxidant activity of stingless bee nest products is less well known. In this work in vitro total antioxidant activity (TAA), flavonoid and polyphenol contents of ethanolic extracts of Tetragonisca angustula nest products were assessed. The highest TAA was observed in ethanolic homogenates of cerumen pots, followed by propolis, cerumen and honey. Preliminary data are given on isolated microorganisms (Bacillus sp., Candida sp., Staphylocuccus sp.) in different structures of the nest.