Antioxidant activity and 10-HDA content in Lithuanian royal jelly

Abstract

Royal jelly is a natural bee product with great potential for use in medicine with many protein, free amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals and phenolic compounds. Its wide chemical composition indicates that there are various bioactive substances such as 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) [1]. This acid, also called queen bees acid, is only natural origin and is considered as one of the most important components from which the royal jelly biological activity derives [2]. Also the detection and quantification of 10-HDA is considered an indicator of the identity and quality of royal jelly [3]. Phenolic compounds and flavonoids are other important components which have influence to the antioxidative properties of royal jelly [4]. Due to its antioxidant activity and other properties royal jelly can be widely used in cosmetics, medicine and pharmaceutical industries. However, in Lithuania it is not as popular as in Asian countries. According to our data, there are not much scientific researches with Lithuanian royal jelly. The main task of this study was to evaluate the changes of antioxidant activity 10-HDA content in Lithuanian royal jelly, collected at different periods of the summer and from different apiaries. Different spectrophotometric tests were employed for evaluation of antioxidant activity of tested samples. The results showed that the total content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antiradical activity and 10-HDA content differed depending on the time of collection and apiary. The samples collected in the middle of July and the beginning of August characterized by the highest quantities of phenolic compounds and flavonoid, 10-HDA and antiradical activity. The phenolic compounds content ranged from 8.10±0.06 mg/g to 9.23±0.03 mg/g, the flavonoid content varied from 2.13±0.03 mg/g to 2.76±0.02 mg/g and antiradical activity varied from 2.44±0.05 mg/g to 3.04±0.02 mg/g. 10-HDA content[...]