An overview on antioxidative potential of honey from different flora and geographical origins

Abstract

Honey serves as a good source of natural antioxidants and hence it is free radical scavengers that either reduces the formation of or neutralize free radicals. Honey is a healthy foodstuff for better human health and nutrition. The composition and source of honey greatly indicates about its biochemical properties. The present paper is a review of studies on the antioxidant/radical scavenging capacity of various honeys of different flora and geographical origin using spectrophotometric tests: Folin-Ciocalteu assay for phenol content, ferric reducing antioxidant assay (FRAP assay) for total antioxidant activity, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay for antiradical activity and florimetric method namely ORAC, oxygen reactive antioxidant capacity for the anti-lipoperoxidant activity. The phenolic and other compounds in honey are responsible for free-radical scavenging and antioxidant activity that produce beneficial effects in human health.