Antibacterial Activity and Antioxidant Capacity of Malaysian Tualang Honey

Honey is known to possess therapeutic potential including antimicrobial activity and antioxidant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity and antioxidant capacity of Malaysian tualang honey against five clinically important Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Broth dilution method was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Tualang honey. Different concentrations of honey (1.56mg/ml - 100mg/ml) in two-fold dilutions were tested against each bacterium. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined by visual inspection and spectrophotometric (MIC95) readings at 620nm. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was also obtained by culturing the bacteria on nutrient agar plates. The antioxidant capacity of Tualang honey was also determined by estimating the total phenolic content, flavonoid content and radical scavenging activity (DPPH). The MIC of Tualang honey by visual inspection and spectrophotometric (MIC95) reading ranged from 3.125mg/ml - 12.5mg/ml and 6.25mg/ml - 25mg/ml respectively. The MBCs values against the five tested bacteria ranged from 12.5mg/ml to 50mg/ml. The lowest and highest MBCs values of Tualang honey were against S. enterica Serovar Typhimurium (12.5mg/ml) and E. coli (50mg/ml). The total phenolic and flavonoids content of Tualang honey were found to be 275.612.5mg gallic acid/kg honey and 71.811.3mg quercetin/kg honey respectively. The radical scavenging activity (DPPH) had inhibition concentration (IC50) of 46016.3g/ml. Malaysian tualang honey has both bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities against clinically important Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The presence of phenolics and flavonoids in the Tualang honey are responsible for its antioxidant capacity.