BIOACTIVE ACTIVITY IN POLYFLORAL HONEYS FROM THE CAATINGA BIOME

The Caatinga Biome, which is endemic to Brazil, covers 11% of the country’s territory and comprises the semi-arid region, characterized by a hot and dry climate. It harbors a diversity of native plant species that are important for beekeeping, as their pollen results in honeys with distinct bioactive properties. The objective of this study was to prospect the bioactivity of polyfloral honeys from the Caatinga biome. Sixty-six honey samples were screened for pollen analysis, and 22 polyfloral honeys were selected as representative of Caatinga flora. To assess the antioxidant activity of Caatinga honeys, total phenolic content and total flavonoids were quantified, antioxidant activity was measured using DPPH, ABTS⁺, FRAP, and ORAC assays. Pollen analysis identified 38 pollen species, with no single pollen type exceeding 45% of the total pollen count. This result highlights the floristic diversity of the Caatinga biome and, consequently, the production of honeys with distinct characteristics. The honeys exhibited significant differences in total phenolic content, which varied according to floral origin. The highest values were observed for polyfloral honeys of Paullinia spp. (259.45 mg GAE/100 g), and the lowest for Mimosa spp., Croton spp., and Combretum spp. (108.10; 73.37 and 98.13 mg GAE/ 100 g, respectively). Additionally, Ziziphus spp. showed the greatest capacity to inhibit the ABTS⁺ radical, followed by Mimosa spp. (554.30 and 467.43 µmol TE /100 g, respectively). The highest ORAC antioxidant capacity was observed in Anadenanthera spp. and Mimosa spp. (273.63 and 202.61 mmol TE/g, respectively), while Ziziphus spp. and Combretum spp. showed intermediate values (169.44 and 133.99 mmol TE/ g, respectively). The total phenolic content in honey is directly associated with its floral origin, since these compounds reflect the botanical provenance of the nectar and pollen, as well as the influence of the honey-producing bee species (Silva et al., 2020). In addition to phenolic compounds, flavonoids and some vitamins are major contributors to antioxidant activity (Larsen and Ahmed, 2022. These compounds, along with enzymes such as glucose oxidase and catalase, pigments like carotenoids, organic acids, amino acids, and proteins, are described as honey antioxidants (De-Melo et al., 2017). The antioxidant action of honey results from both its individual components and from interactions between them. Furthermore, its antioxidant properties also depend on processing, storage conditions, and botanical origin (Gajger et al., 2025). This study highlights the functional potential of these honeys and reinforces the differentiated quality of bee products from the Caatinga biome. The study was supported by the cooperatives COAPIL, COASPA, and COPMEAF, by beekeepers, by Projeto COOPERAR, and by financial support from CNPq/MCTI (Project number 401167/2014- 3) and the Brazilian Association for the Study of Bees (A.B.E.L.H.A.). We thank all contributors.