Determination of total flavonoids, phenolics, and antioxidant activity of propolis from six stingless bee species in Kenya

Background: Propolis is one of the hive products made by bees from wax and plant resins, which makes it rich in phytochemicals such as flavonoids and phenolic. The chemical composition of propolis from stingless bees is affected by several factors including vegetation type and species. In Kenya, we have diverse landscape vegetation and over 12 stingless bee species. Lifestyle diseases are affecting more people due to unhealthy diets and exposure to harmful chemicals, which lead to oxidation in cells. This led to the production of super radicals, which cannot be neutralized only by the endogenous antioxidants in the body. This has led to increased demand for exogenous antioxidants obtained from the diet. Propolis is a known source of natural antioxidants too due to the presence of polyphenols. Results: In our study, we determined the total content of flavonoids, phenolic, and the antioxidant activity of propolis from six stingless bee species from Kenya. The total flavonoid content (TFC) in all species ranged from 651.90 to 3262.26 mg QE/100 g, while the total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 586.36 to 2010.53 mg GAE/100 g. Among the species, Meliponula beccarii had the highest concentration of total flavonoids, Meliponula togoensis had high concentrations of total phenolic, while Meliponula ferruginea had the highest antioxidant activity. Conclusion: The outcome of this study demonstrates that propolis from Kenyan stingless bees have varying amounts of phytochemicals, which is dependent on the species identity. Hence it is a good source of exogenous natural antioxidants.