Functional Property of Honey from Echium vulgare

Chemical property of honey from Echium vulgare was investigated. In comparison with other honey species, the contents of total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids were the highest. α-Amylase activity was also extremely high: about three to nine hundred times as much as those of other honey species. The antioxidative activity of honey was investigated using four different methods. Honey from E. vulgare showed the best performance in inhibiting lipid peroxidation and scavenging superoxide anion radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and DPPH radicals. Moreover, it exhibited stronger inhibition activity of ACE. It is known that higher antioxidative activity and scavenging activity against active oxygen species in honey species related to their colour. In the present study, however, it suggests that the phenolics in honey from E. vulgare with yellow gold colour might be the major active component responsible for the strong antioxidative activity and radical scavenging activity.