Studies on the Antimicrobial Activity of Honey - A Review

The biological activity of important honey, one of the most characteristics, which distinguishes it from other natural products and makes it important for the medical and therapeutic field. Its potential health benefits can be influenced both by its composition, which varies between different types of honey, and by the bioavailability of various phytochemical components and how they are absorbed and metabolized. It was found that a series of compounds contained in honey such as phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, have an inhibitory effect against a wide spectrum of bacterial species, Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-), but also an important antifungal and antiviral action. These important properties of honey are due both to the quality of the polyphenols contained, which is more important than their quantity, but also to the high osmolarity, acidity, H2O2 content and the composition of non-peroxidic components.