Lactobacillus kunkeei is the most common and dominant bacterium in the honey stomach of honeybees. L. kunkeei has been isolated from honeybees all over the world. Genome sequencing has identified 5 genes for exceptionally large proteins in the genome of L. kunkeei. These proteins do not show any similarity to sequences of proteins with a known structure. These giant proteins all have a conserved region of 60 amino acids in their C-terminus. This conservation led to the hypothesis that the C-terminal domains of the giant proteins are important for their function with possibly a role in the attachment to the cell wall. In this study, a total of eight different constructs were made for two of these giant proteins. The boundaries for the constructs were determined based on bioinformatic predictions. The eight constructs all have different start positions and all end at the very C-terminal end of the protein. These constructs were cloned into an expression vector. One of the full-length giant protein was cloned into an expression vector as well.  The C-terminal constructs and the full-length proteins were recombinantly produced in Escherichia coli. Expression of six C-terminal constructs was observed and an attempt was made to purify two of the C-terminal constructs. Expression of the full-length giant protein was observed as well and purification was attempted. Neither the C-terminal constructs nor the full-length giant protein could be purified at full length. The results for the C-terminal constructs show that no folded C-terminal domain has been found for the giant proteins. A purified protein construct of the N-terminal of one of the giant proteins was available. This protein was analyzed using biophysical techniques. Circular dichroism was used to test the thermal stability. The construct did not refold after being thermally denatured. Circular dichroism measurements indicated that the N-terminal construct is composed of a mixture of α-helices and ß-sheets. Small-angle X-ray scattering data indicated that the N-terminal construct had an elongated shape with knot-like parts. Protein crystals have been obtained for the N-terminal construct and these will be analyzed using X-ray diffraction.

BACKGROUND:Widely considered probiotic organisms, Bifidobacteria are common inhabitants of the alimentary tract of animals including insects. Bifidobacteria identified from the honey bee are found in larval guts and throughout the alimentary tract, but attain their greatest abundance in the adult hind gut. To further understand the role of Bifidobacteria in honey bees, we sequenced two strains of Bifidobacterium cultured from different alimentary tract environments and life stages.RESULTS:Reflecting an oxygen-rich niche, both strains possessed catalase, peroxidase, superoxide-dismutase and respiratory chain enzymes indicative of oxidative metabolism. The strains show markedly different carbohydrate processing capabilities, with one possessing auxiliary and key enzymes of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway.CONCLUSIONS:As a result of long term co-evolution, honey bee associated Bifidobacterium may harbor considerable strain diversity reflecting adaptation to a variety of different honey bee microenvironments and hive-mediated vertical transmission between generations.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Insect pollination contributes in various degrees toward the production of a variety of agricultural crops that ensure diversity and nutritional value in the human diet. Although managed honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are still the most economically valuable pollinators of monoculture crops cultivated globally, wild pollinator communities can contribute substantially toward crop pollination through pollination ecosystem services sourced from neighbouring natural habitats. Pollination ecosystem services are thus valuable and can motivate for the protection of natural ecosystems hosting diverse insect pollinator communities. F1 onion hybrid seed production is entirely dependent on high insect pollinator activity to ensure cross pollination, seed set and profitable seed yields. Data was collected on 18 onion hybrid seed crops grown in the semi‐arid Klein Karoo and southern Karoo regions of the Western Cape, South Africa. These two main production regions are located within the Succulent Karoo biome, recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot of especially high plant diversity. It is also habitat to the indigenous Cape honeybee (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.). Sites selected varied in the percentages of available natural habitat and managed honeybee hives stocking density. Diverse anthophile assemblages were sampled with pan traps within all the onion fields, regardless of the percentage of available natural habitat near the crop. Crop management practices significantly affected the diversity of anthophile species caught within onion fields, although less than 20% of this diversity was observed actually visiting onion flowers. The honeybee (managed and wild) was by far the most important pollinator because of its high visitation frequency and regular substantial onion pollen loads carried on their bodies. Honeybee visitation significantly increased onion hybrid seed yield, while anthophile diversity and non‐Apis visitation had no effect on seed yield. Neither managed hive density, nor percentage natural habitat were important in determining honeybee visitation or seed yield. Total annual rainfall was the only significant factor determining honeybee visitation. Secondary factors caused by rainfall variability, such as wild flower abundance or soil moisture, may have significantly affected honeybee visitation. In addition, the positive correlation between honeybee visitation and the diversity of hand‐sampled insects from onion flowers; indicate that either or both onion varietal attractiveness and/or pollinator population size may have had significant effects on overall insect visitation. Honeybees showed marked discrimination between hybrid onion parental lines and preferred to forage on one or the other during single foraging trips. Hybrid onion parents differed significantly in nectar characteristics and onion flower scent which would encourage selective foraging through floral constancy. Interspecies interactions were insignificant in causing increased honeybee pollination because of the scarcity of non‐Apis visitors. Most farming practices are subjected to favourable environmental conditions for successful production. However, and especially in the South African context, the dependence of onion hybrid seed crops on insect pollination for successful yields, increase its reliance on natural ecosystem dynamics that may deliver abundant wild honeybee pollinators, or attract them away from the crops. Nevertheless, this dependence can be mitigated effectively by the use of managed honeybee colonies to supplement wild honeybee workers on the flowers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Insek bestuiwing dra in verskillende grade by tot die produksie van landbou gewasse wat variteit en voedingswaarde in die mens se dieet verseker. Al is die heuningby (Apis mellifera L.) steeds die waardevolste ekonomiese bestuiwer van verboude enkelgewasse, kan wilde bestuiwers wesenlik bydra tot gewasbestuiwing deur middel van ekosisteem dienste afkomstig van natuurlike habitatte. Bestuiwing ekosisteem dienste is daarom waardevol en kan dus die bewaring van natuurlike ekosisteme, wat diverse gemeenskappe huisves, regverdig. F1 basterui saadproduksie is totaal afhanklik van hoë insek‐bestuiwer aktiwiteit om kruisbestuiwing, saadvorming en winsgewende saadopbrengste te verseker. Data is ingesamel op 18 basterui saad aanplantings in die half‐droë Klein Karoo en suid‐Karoo streke van die Weskaap, Suid‐Afrika. Hierdie twee hoof produksie streke is geleë binne die Sukkulente Karoo bioom wat erken word as ʼn globale biodiversiteits “hotspot” met hoë plant diversiteit. Dit is ook die habitat van die inheemse Kaapse heuningby (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.). Aanplantings is gekies om verskillende grade van beskikbare natuurlike habitat en bestuurde heuningby korf digthede te verteenwoordig. Diverse versamelings blom‐besoekers is versamel met water‐wippe in al die aanplantings, ongeag die persentasie natuurlike habitat beskikbaar by elke aanplanting. Gewas bestuurspraktyke het die diversiteit van blombesoekers betekenisvol beïnvloed. Tog is minder as 20% van hierdie diversiteit as aktiewe besoekers op die uiekoppe waargeneem. Heuningbye (bestuur of wild) was oorwegend die belangrikste bestuiwers as gevolg van hoë besoek frekwensies en wesenlike ladings uiestuifmeel op hulle liggame. Heuningby besoeke het saadopbrengs betekenisvol verhoog, maar blom‐besoeker diversiteit en nie‐Apis besoeke het geen effek op saadopbrengs gehad nie. Bestuurde korf digtheid en persentasie natuurlike habitat was nie belangrik in die bepaling van heuningby besoeke of basterui saadopbrengste nie. Totale jaarlikse reënval was die enigste betekenisvolle faktor wat heuningby besoeke bepaal het. Sekondêre faktore wat versoorsaak word deur reënval veranderlikheid, soos veldblom volopheid of grondvog, kon betekenisvolle effekte op die aantal heuningby besoeke gehad het. Bykomend, dui die positiewe korrelasie tussen heuningby besoeke en die diversiteit van hand‐versamelde insekte vanaf die uiekoppe op die moontlike betekenisvolle effek van elk of beide basterui variteit aantreklikheid en/of bestuiwer populasie grote op algehele insek besoeke. Heuningbye het noemenswaardige diskriminasie getoon tussen die basterui ouerlyne en het verkies om op een of die ander te wei tydens enkele weidingstogte. Basterui ouerlyne het betekenisvol verskil in nektar eienskappe en blomgeur wat die selektiewe weiding van heuningbye, toegepas deur blomkonstantheid, sal aanmoedig. Tussen‐spesie interaksies was onbetekenisvol in die verhoging van heuningby bestuiwing omdat nie‐Apis besoekers baie skaars was. Meeste boerdery praktyke is onderhewig aan gunstige omgewings toestande vir suksesvolle produksie. Maar, en veral in die Suid‐Afrikaanse konteks, omdat basterui saad aanplantings afhanklik is van insek bestuiwing vir suksesvolle opbrengste, word daar meer staat gemaak op natuurlike ekosisteem dinamika wat volop wilde heuningby bestuiwers kan voorsien, of selfs bestuiwers van die aanplanting kan weg lok. Nietemin, hierdie afhanklikheid kan effektief verlaag word deur die gebruik van bestuurde heuningby kolonies om die aantal wilde heuningby werkers op die blomme aan te vul.

Body size is a universal property affecting biological structure and function, from cell metabolism to animal behavior. The nervous system, the physical generator of behavior, is also affected by variations in body size; hence potentially affecting the way animals perceive, interpret and react to the environment. When animals join to form groups, such individual differences become part of the structure of the society, even determining social roles. Here, I explore the association between body size, behavior and social organization in honeybees and bumblebees. Focusing on bumblebees, I explore the link between body size, brain allometry and learning and memory performance, within the context of task specialization. I show that body size goes along with brain size and with learning and memory performance, and that foraging experience affects such cognitive and neural features. Next, I explore the association between body size and foraging task specialization in honeybees. Previous evidence showed a link between specialization on pollen or nectar foraging and sensory sensitivity, further associating sensitivity to the quality and/or quantity of resource exploited. I hypothesize that, as in solitary bees, larger body size is associated with higher sensory sensitivity. I test this hypothesis by comparing body size and the quality and quantity of the resource exploited by wild Africanized and European honeybees. I show that nectar foragers are smaller and have fewer olfactory sensilla, which might underlie their lower sensitivity to odors. Also, larger bees collect more pollen (within pollen foragers) and more dilute nectar (within nectar foragers). To further test this `size hypothesis', I compare strains of bees selected to store large ("high strain") or small ("low strain") amounts of pollen surplus. As these strains differ in sensory sensitivity, I predict that the more sensitive high strain bees are larger and have more sensory sensilla. I show that high strain bees are generally bigger, but have fewer sensory sensilla than low strain bees. These results show that in bees, body size is associated with an individual's sensory, neural and cognitive features, further suggesting that body size plays a more important role in the organization of bee societies than generally assumed.

Animals in general vary immensely in body size, which greatly affects their morphology, physiology, survival, and nutritional requirements. The nervous system is also affected by variation in body size, which, in turn, shapes the perception of environmental stimuli and the behavior of animals. Comparative studies of vertebrates suggest that larger brains and their integrative centers comprise more and generally larger neurons (Jerison, 1973; Kaas, 2000), but much less is known about brain - body size relations in invertebrates. Closely related social bee species are well suited to study correlations between body size and brain composition. Different honey bee species vary in body size yet differ little in their ecological requirements and behavior and bumble bees feature a large range of body sizes even within a single colony.

As abelhas sem ferrão eram criadas pelos Maias e indígenas da América do Sul. Desde então as técnicas evoluíram, surgindo vários modelos de caixas. No entanto alguns, na colheita, contaminam o mel e submergem os ovos no alimento larval. Na Amazônia surgiu um modelo mais vantajoso, utilizado por meliponicultores e pesquisadores. Das mais de 220 espécies de abelhas sem ferrão nativas do Brasil, criar um só modelo de caixa para todas não tem lógica. Tetragona clavipes, conhecida como borá, derivado de \'\'hebora\'\', que significa \'\'o que há de ter (mel)\'\', reserva grande quantidade de alimento, interessante para produção de mel. Portanto, pretendeu-se conhecer a arquitetura do ninho, o potencial de produção de mel, a preferência polínica e as propriedades antimicrobianas do mel e da própolis. O estudo foi realizado em Ribeirão Perto/SP, em vegetação urbana. Foram transferidas 18 colônias, a maioria de dentro de troncos. Nove sucumbiram, devido principalmente aos forídeos (Diptera, Phoridae). O volume médio dos ninhos de 10 colônias foi de 3994,8 cm³ e os favos de cria, de formato espiral, um diâmetro médio de 13,9 cm. De uma colônia foram calculadas as médias do peso da rainha (101,4 mg), largura dos favos de cria (11,1 cm), largura (5,98 mm) e altura (3,11 mm) das células de cria e células reais (8,5 mm; 6,1 mm, respectivamente), o número de células de cria por área de favo (10,9/cm²), altura dos pilares entre os favos (3,7 mm), altura e largura dos potes de mel (3,5 cm; 2,38 cm, respectivamente) e de pólen (3,71 cm; 2,33 cm, respectivamente), e volume de mel (6,55 ml) e peso do pólen (6,09 g) dentro de potes fechados. Um equipamento de ultrassom auxiliou a identificação de estruturas de ninhos dentro de troncos, porém nem todas. De oito enxames foram monitoradas as área de ocupação em caixa e o peso. Cinco morreram e o restante não cresceu, provavelmente devido ao frio. Não foi quantificada a produção de mel. De outra colônia foram coletadas abelhas regressantes com pólen, entre agosto de 2010 e julho de 2011. Foram identificados 45 tipos polínicos pertencentes a 17 famílias, além de sete não identificáveis. A família com mais tipos foi a Fabaceae e o coletado por maior período o tipo Amaranthus, gênero de uma planta comercial. Foram poucas plantas de relevância econômica, incluindo o tipo Citrus, entretanto, considerou-se possibilidades na polinização. Foram avaliadas as atividades antimicrobianas do mel e própolis frente à Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Paenibacillus larvae, Escherichia coli e Candida albicans. O mel não foi ativo contra E. coli. A própolis teve leve atividade contra S. aureus e S. epidermidis. Manejar e criar esta espécie de abelha requer cuidados. É necessário um modelo de caixa, que atenda às suas exigências. A diversidade polínica serviu para conhecer parte do recurso alimentar, e não, necessariamente, o potencial polinizador. O mel apresentou relevância na medicina e apicultura, mas a própolis teve atividade singela. Destacando o mel como alternativa contra micro-organismos resistentes. / The Mayas and the Indians of South America reared the stingless bees. Since then techniques have evolved, arising several hive models. However, in these, when harvesting, the honey is contaminated, and the eggs are submerged in larval food. In the Amazon, beekeepers and researchers use a more advantageous hive. With more than 220 species of stingless bees native in Brazil, creating a single hive model for all is not logical. Tetragona clavipes, known as borá, which comes from hebora, that means the one that has honey\', stores lots of food, interesting aspect for honey production. Therefore, we sought the knowledge about the nest architecture, the potential for honey production, pollen preference and the antimicrobial properties of honey and propolis. The study was conducted in Ribeirão Preto/SP in urban vegetation. Eighteen colonies were transferred, mostly from tree trunks. Nine died mainly due to phorid flies (Diptera, Phoridae). The average volume of the nest of 10 colonies was 3994.8 cm³ and combs, all with spiral format, had an average diameter of 13.9 cm. From one colony means were calculated such as, the weight of the queen (101.4 mg), width of the combs (11.1 cm), width (5.98 mm) and height (3.11 mm) of brood cells and royal cells (8.5 mm, 6.1 mm, respectively), the number of cells per area of comb (10.9/cm²), height of the pillars between the combs (3.7 mm), height and width of honey pots (3.5 cm and 2.38 cm, respectively) and pollen (3.71 cm and 2.33 cm, respectively) and the volume of honey (6.55 ml) and weight pollen (6.09 g) in closed pots. An ultrasonic apparatus assisted identification of structures of nests within trunks, but not all. Eight colonies were monitored the occupation inside the hives and the weight. Five died and the rest did not grow, probably due to the cold. The honey production was not quantified. From another colony were collected returning bees with pollen, between August 2010 and July 2011. Forty-five pollen types belonging to 17 families were identified, and seven were not possible to identify. The family Fabaceae had more types and the one collected for a longer period was type Amaranthus, genus of a commercial plant. Few plants of economic importance appered, including the type Citrus, however it was considered a few possibilities for pollination. The antimicrobial activity of honey, and propolis against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Paenibacillus larvae, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans was evaluated. Honey was not active against E. coli. Propolis has mild antibacterial activity against S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Rearing this bee specie requires care. A hive model that meets its requirements is necessary. The pollen diversity served to know part of the food resource, and not necessarily the potential as a pollinator. Honey demonstrated its relevance in medicine and beekeeping, but propolis not as well. Highlighting, the honey seems to be an alternative against resistant micro-organisms.

Este trabalho apresenta o desenvolvimento e a otimização de metodologias analíticas para avaliação da temperatura de transição vítrea (Tg) por DSC e determinação do teor de umidade e cinzas por TG/DTG de amostras de mel. Além disso, foi realizado também um estudo da variabilidade nestes parâmetros físico-químicos e na temperatura de transição vítrea de amostras de méis monoflorais de eucalipto e laranja de algumas regiões do Estado de São Paulo. Para a avaliação termogravimétrica das amostras de mel, inicialmente foi realizado um estudo do comportamento térmico de padrões de carboidratos por TG/DTG, DSC e DTA Os resultados obtidos permitiram diferenciar as etapas de decomposição térmica correspondentes aos açúcares dos demais componentes presentes no mel. A variabilidade nos conteúdos de umidade e cinzas de méis de eucalipto e laranja foram investigadas por planejamento hierárquico e pela análise de variância (ANOVA) e verificou-se que estes parâmetros físico-químicos são significativamente diferentes no nível de 95% de confiança. Para o desenvolvimento e otimização de metodologias analíticas para a determinação do teor de umidade e de cinzas em mel por TG/DTG foram utilizados os métodos oficiais e aplicados planejamentos experimentais e um teste-F para a comparação entre variâncias. Os resultados sugeriram que para a obtenção de conteúdos médios de umidade e cinzas em mel por TG/DTG, similares aos encontrados pelos métodos oficiais, é necessário utilizar cadinho de alumina (150 µL), taxas de aquecimento de 5ºC/min e papel de microfibra de vidro. Além disso, a comparação entre a variabilidade do método termogravimétrico com os métodos oficiais para estas determinações sugeriu que não existem diferenças significativas entre os métodos investigados. Para as amostras de méis monoflorais de laranja e eucalipto foram determinadas temperaturas de transição vítrea médias de -47 e -55ºC, respectivamente sugerindo uma diferença significativa nesta propriedade física para estes tipos de méis. Além disso, entre o conteúdo de umidade e a temperatura de transição vítrea destes tipos de méis foi verificada uma correlação linear negativa significativa no nível de 95% de confiança (r = - 0,916). Assim pode-se dizer, que os parâmetros fisico-químicos umidade e cinzas obtidos pelos métodos oficiais ou pelo método termogravimétrico e a temperatura de transição vítrea determinada por DSC podem ser utilizados para a caracterização da origem floral destes tipos de méis. / This work presents the optimization and development of analytical methodologies for evaluation of glass transition temperature (Tg) by DSC and for moisture and ash content determinations by TG/DTG of honey samples. Beyond this, a study of variability in these physicochemical parameters determined by conventional methods was realized for eucalyptus and citrus monofloral honeys of some regions of São Paulo State. For the thermogravimetric evaluation of honey samples, initially a study of thermal behavior of standard of carbohydrates was carried out by TG/DTG, DSC and DTA The results obtained allowed to distinguish the decomposition steps corresponding to the sugars in relation to other components present in honey. The variabilities in average moisture and ash contents of eucalyptus and citrus monofloral honeys were investigated by a hierarchical design and by an analysis of variance (ANOVA). These physicochemical parameters are significantly different at the 95% confidence level. For the development and optimization of analytical methodologies for moisture and ash contents in honey by TG/DTG conventional methods, experimental designs and a F-test for the comparison between variances were utilized. The results suggest that to get average moisture and ash contents in honey by TG/DTG similar to those found by conventional methods an alumine crucible (150 µL ), heating rates of 5ºC/min and microfiber glass paper should be used. Besides this, the comparison between the thermogravimetric method and the conventional ones for these determinations suggest that there are no significant differences between the methods investigated. For eucalyptus and citrus monofloral honeys average glass transition temperatures of -47 and -55ºC, respectively, were determined suggesting a significant difference in this physical property for these honey types. Besides this, a significant negative linear correlation at 95% confidence level (r = - 0.916) was verified between the moisture contents and glass transition temperatures of these honey types. So, it may be said that the physicochemical parameters, moisture and ash, obtained by conventional and thermogravimetric methods and the glass transition temperature determined by DSC can be utilized for the characterization of the floral origin of these types of honey.

A comunidade de abelhas associada a uma área de cerrado do Campus da Universidade de São Paulo, no município de Pirassununga-SP foi estudada no período de julho de 2000 a julho de 2002, por meio de amostragem sistemática das abelhas em plantas com floração realizadas quinzenalmente, e com concomitante tipificação dos méis produzidos pelas espécies de abelhas que apresentaram um número significativo de indivíduos coletados. Foram coletados 511 indivíduos, pertencentes a 51 espécies e a 31 gêneros de 4 famílias de Apoidea. A comunidade de abelhas no cerrado seguiu o padrão geral encontrado nas comunidades neotropicais, apresentando muitas espécies com poucos indivíduos e poucas espécies com muitos indivíduos. A família Apidae (sensu latu) foi a mais rica em espécies e a mais abundante. Foram encontradas plantas com períodos prolongados de florescimento lado a lado com plantas de períodos curtos, de modo que praticamente o ano todo tem-se plantas em floração, proporcionando recursos tróficos para as abelhas durante todos os meses. As abelhas visitantes foram coletadas em 52,86% das 140 espécies de plantas em floração, sendo a família Asteraceae a que obteve um maior número de espécies de plantas visitadas pelos insetos (18,92%). Didymopanax vinosum (Araliaceae) foi a espécie vegetal com maior número de abelhas visitantes. Nas espécies de meliponídios estudadas obteve-se baixa produção, justificando o número restrito de colônias encontradas nas áreas. Os meses de maior produção de mel, para a Apis mellifera ocorreram de agosto a novembro, em contrapartida entre os meses de dezembro a fevereiro não foi possível a coleta de amostra. As médias dos parâmetros físico-químicos análisados, das amostras de méis provenientes das duas áreas de cerrado, se enquadram nos padrões de normas em vigor. Através das análises polínicas verificou-se que as abelhas também visitaram áreas vizinhas aos locais onde se encontravam as colméias, utilizando-se principalmente de Eucalyptus sp. e Citrus sp. / This research deals with the community of bees from the "cerrado" area of the Campus of the University of São Paulo, in Pirassununga, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The bees occurring on flowering plants were fortnightly sampled from July 2000 to July 2002. The honeys produced by the most frequent bee species were characterized as well. The 511 collected specimens were composed by 51 species and 31 genera of 4 families of the Apoidea. The bee community of the "cerrado" followed the same general pattern of the neotropical communities, presenting many species with few individuals and few species with many individuals. The family Apidae ("sensu latu") was the most abundant one with the highest number of species. One observed long flowering period plants together with short flowering ones, thus providing nutritional resources for the bees the year round. Visiting bees were collected in 52.86% of the 140 flowering plant species, most of them (18.92%) from the family Asteraceae. However Didimopanax vinosum (Araliaceae) was the plant species presenting the highest number of visiting bees. Concerning the species of meliponids studied the honey production was low due to the restricted number of colonies found in the area. As to Apis mellifera the honey production was higher from August to November, but it was impossible to collect samples from December to February. The mean of the physicochemical parameters used to analyse the honey samples from the two "cerrado" areas do fit with the standard rules. Through pollen analyses one observed that the bees have visited mainly plants of Eucalyptus sp. and Citrus sp. in the neighboring areas to their hives.

Introdução: Feridas de difícil cicatrização em diabéticos são associadas ao estresse oxidativo. O mel de abelhas tem sido descrito como potencial tratamento pela atividade antioxidante. Objetivo: Avaliar a atividade biológica na cicatrização, do mel de Apis Mellífera de Eucalipto (RS-Brasil) (ME) em comparação com o de Manuka (Nova Zelândia) (MK) como padrão internacional e caracterizar sua físico-química e capacidade antioxidante. Métodos: Estudo experimental com camundongos Swiss induzidos ao diabetes com Aloxana, que receberam tratamento tópico com mel (ME e MK) previamente caracterizada, durante 15 dias e foram avaliados na cinética da cicatrização e morfologia tecidual. Resultados: ME e MK aceleraram a cicatrização dos animais diabéticos de 18 dias para 15. A morfologia da ferida no dia 3 teve um melhor aspecto nos animais tratados. MK teve maior teor de ácidos fenólicos; porém a atividade antioxidante de ambos meis foi alta. Conclusão: ME e MK promovem a cicatrização de maneira similar provavelmente pelo efeito antioxidante e o conteúdo de ácidos fenólicos. / Background: A difficult-to-heal wound in diabetic patients has been associated with the oxidative stress on tissue. Bee honey has been described as a potential treatment by the antioxidant activity. Aim: To evaluate the biological activity in wound healing of Apis Mellífera honey from Eucalyptus (RS-Brazil) (ME) in comparison with Manukas honey (New Zealand) (MK) as an international standard, and characterize its physical-chemistry properties and antioxidant capacity. Methods: Experimental study using Swiss mice induced to diabetes with Aloxana, who received topical treatment with previously characterized honey (ME e MK), during 15 days. Were evaluated the wound healing kinetics and tissue morphology. Results: ME and MK accelerated the diabetic animals wound healing from 18 days to 15. The morphology of wound at 3rd day had a better aspect in treated animals. MK had higher level of phenolic acids; however the antioxidant activity of both honeys were high. Conclusion: ME and MK improve wound healing on a similar way, probably because of the antioxidant effect and phenolic acids content.

O presente estudo teve, como objetivo principal, a determinação da composição físico-química e nutricional de onze amostras de méis com própolis comercializados no Estado de São Paulo, de acordo com as metodologias analíticas da legislação brasileira vigente (Instrução Normativa nº11 de 20 de outubro de 2000), que segue os métodos preconizados pelos Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), 1990 e Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), 1990). Amostras de mel puro e de própolis foram usadas como referência. Os resultados mostraram que os mesmos métodos usados para o controle de qualidade do mel puro (umidade, HMF, açúcares redutores, sacarose aparente, cinzas, acidez livre, sólidos insolúveis em água) foram adequados para o controle de qualidade do mel com própolis, exceto pela analise de atividade diastásica, que precisou de uma adaptação metodológica. A análise de minerais demonstrou que essas amostras não são fontes de ferro, magnésio, zinco e cálcio. A própolis adicionada ao mel aumentou o seu valor energético comparado com o mel puro. Cinco das onze amostras analisadas não apresentaram, na sua rotulagem, os valores nutricionais como recomenda a legislação. É indicada a necessidade de uma fiscalização mais rigorosa, assim como uma legislação específica para o controle de qualidade destes produtos. / The present work has, as its main objective, to determine the physico-chemical and nutritional composition of commercial samples of propolis added to honey from São Paulo State. Eleven honey-propolis samples were analyzed, according to the methods established by the Brazilian Law (Instrução Normativa n.11 de 20 de outubro de 2000) which recommends the same methods established by Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 1990). The results showed that the same methods used for pure honey quality control (moisture, HMF, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, ash, free acidity, insoluble solids in water) except for the diastase activity which had to be adapted, can also be used for the honey-propolis quality control. The mineral analyses results showed that the samples were not a good source for iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium. Honey has its energy value enhanced by the addition of propolis if compared with pure honey. As five of the eleven samples analyzed did not have the nutritional values information on the labels as it is mandatory by the Brazilian Legislation, a more rigorous inspection and even a specific law should be established for the quality control of those products.