Physicochemical Properties, Volatile Components, and Biological Evaluation on Lavender Monofloral Honey From Xinjiang, China

Due to its unique geographical and climatic characteristics, the Lily region of Xinjiang has become a major production area for lavender honey (LH) in China. While the region's optimal environmental conditions foster high-quality lavender growth, comprehensive studies characterizing LH's composition and activities remain scarce. This study investigated the hemispherical properties, volatile components, and functional activities of Lily-sourced LH. The physicochemical parameters (Barium degrees, moisture, acidity, pH, ash, amylase activity, and sugar content) of LH complied with the European Union and Chinese standards. Volatile compounds in LH were analyzed using headspace solid-phase micro extraction gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-QTOF/MS), with aromatics, alcohols, and aldehydes representing 55% of the total volatile components. LH exhibited higher contents of total phenolics and flavonoids, which were significantly correlated with the antioxidant capacity. The antibacterial experiments showed that, at 50% concentration, LH exhibited significant antibacterial effects against both Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA, outperforming acacia honey. In addition, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model, using RAW 264.7 cells, was established to assess the anti-inflammatory potential of LH. The results demonstrated a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect, reducing nitric oxide (NO) production, decreasing gene expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1) and iNOS, and enhancing the gene expression levels of the antioxidant enzyme (HO-1) . This study provides a scientific basis for quality control, compositional analysis, and activity assessment of LH, deepening the understanding of its health benefits.