Honey and Pollen Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant Capacity, and DNA Protecting Properties

The phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and the dsDNA oxidative damage protecting properties, of ten honey and two pollen samples, from different countries, Portugal, Algeria, Romania, and Greece, using differential pulse voltammetry, DPPH. spectrophotometric assay, reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, and agarose gel electrophoresis, were investigated. The honey samples highest antioxidant capacity was from Multi floral from Greece and the lowest for Mono floral black locust from Romania. The pollen from Romania presented higher antioxidant capacity compared with the pollen from Portugal but both pollen samples have a greater antioxidant capacity compared with the honey samples. In the presence of honey and pollen the DNA oxidative damage, induced by hydroxyl radicals generated through the Fenton reaction, was decreased.