Effect of Mimosa scabrella Bentham honeydew honey on inflammatory mediators

The anti-inflammatory effect of bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Bentham) honeydew honeys was evaluated by considering the modulation of inflammatory mediators in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Both tested bracatinga honeydew honey samples (BHH1 and BHH2) reduced the nitric oxide secretion as well as the inflammatory mediators: tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, interleukin-12p70, interferon-gamma and interleukin-10. The phenolic compounds 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, rutin, luteolin, and naringenin were found in BHH1 whereas only syringic acid was quantified in BHH2. Interestingly, 3 mu g mL(-1) of BHH1 provided a more significant anti-inflammatory effect than 30 mu g mL(-1) of BHH2, which seems to be strongly related to the presence of phenolic compounds, considering the differences in anti-inflammatory potential between the samples. This study confirmed for the first time that the bracatinga honeydew honey plays an important role as a functional food, suggesting its application for the auxiliary treatment of inflammatory disorders.