Caracterización microbiológica de polen seco y congelado en Viracachá-Colombia

RESUMEN Objetivo. Caracterizar microbiológicamente el polen seco y congelado producido en el municipio de Viracachá-Boyacá. Materiales y métodos. A través de un estudio transversal descriptivo cuantitativo se tomaron muestras de 5 apiarios, cada uno con 10 colmenas, separando el polen en seco y congelado, determinando para cada muestra: aerobios mesófilos, coliformes totales, coliformes fecales, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium sulfito reductor y hongos. Los datos obtenidos se analizaron de acuerdo a normatividades internacionales y se compararon con resultados de investigaciones en otros países. Resultados. Se encontraron coliformes totales y fecales en tres de los cinco apiarios evaluados y solo en muestras de polen seco. Además, en dos apiarios cuando se analizó polen seco se encontró Staphylococcus aureus. Los resultados microbiológicos de la mayoría de las muestras se encuentran dentro de los rangos de algunas normatividades internacionales, sin embargo, los mejores resultados en cuanto a calidad microbiológica se determinaron para el polen congelado. Conclusiones. El proceso de congelamiento del polen ofrece ventajas relativas al mantenimiento de la calidad microbiológica en comparación con el proceso de secado. Se hace necesario evaluar la calidad microbiológica de ambos productos a través del tiempo de almacenamiento.

ABSTRACT Objective. Microbiologically characterize dry and frozen pollen produced in the municipality of Viracachá-Boyacá. Materials and methods. Through a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study, samples from 5 apiaries were taken, each with 10 hives, separating the pollen dry and frozen, determining for each sample: mesophilic aerobes, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium sulfite reducer, and fungus. The data obtained were analyzed according to international regulations and compared with research results in other countries. Results. Total and fecal coliforms were found in three of the five apiaries evaluated and only in dried pollen samples. Also, in two apiaries when dry pollen was analyzed, Staphylococcus aureus was found. The microbiological results of most samples are within the ranges of some international regulations; however, the best results in terms of microbiological quality were determined for frozen pollen. Conclusions. The pollen freezing process offers advantages related to maintaining microbiological quality compared to the drying process. It is necessary to evaluate the microbiological quality of both products throughout the storage time.

In vitro cytotoxicity of Indonesian stingless bee products against human cancer cell lines

Objective: To screen crude extracts of propolis, bee pollen and honey from four stingless bee species [Trigona incisa (T. incisa)], Timia apicalis, Trigona fusco-balteata and Trigona fuscibasis) native to East Kalimantan, Indonesia for cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines (HepG2, SW620, ChaGo-I, KATO-III and BT474). Methods: All samples were extracted with methanol, and then subpartitioned with n-hexane and ethyl acetate. Each crude extract was screened at 20 μg/μL for in vitro cytotoxicity against the cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. In addition, four previously shown bioactive components from propolis (apigenin, caffeic acid phenyl ester, kaempferol and naringenin) and two chemotherapeutic drugs (doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil) were used to evaluate the sensitivity of the cell lines. Results: Overall, crude extracts from propolis and honey had higher cytotoxic activities than bee pollen, but the activity was dependent upon the extraction solvent, bee species and cell line. Propolis extracts from T. incisa and Timia apicalis showed the highest and lowest cytotoxic activity, respectively. Only the HepG2 cell line was broadly sensitive to the honey extracts. For pure compounds, doxorubicin was the most cytotoxic, the four propolis compounds the least, but the ChaGo-I cell line was sensitive to kaempferol at 10 μg/mL and KATO-III was sensitive to kaempferol and apigenin at 10 μg/mL. All pure compounds were effective against the BT474 cell line. Conclusions: Propolis from T. incisa and Trigona fusco-balteata contain an in vitro cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines. Further study is required, including the isolation and characterization of the active antiproliferative agent(s).

In vitro cytotoxicity of Indonesian stingless bee products against human cancer cell lines

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen crude extracts of propolis, bee pollen and honey from four stingless bee species [Trigona incisa (T. incisa)], Timia apicalis, Trigona fusco-balteata and Trigona fuscibasis) native to East Kalimantan, Indonesia for cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines (HepG2, SW620, ChaGo-I, KATO-III and BT474).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All samples were extracted with methanol, and then subpartitioned with n-hexane and ethyl acetate. Each crude extract was screened at 20 µg/mL for in vitro cytotoxicity against the cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. In addition, four previously shown bioactive components from propolis (apigenin, caffeic acid phenyl ester, kaempferol and naringenin) and two chemotherapeutic drugs (doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil) were used to evaluate the sensitivity of the cell lines.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Overall, crude extracts from propolis and honey had higher cytotoxic activities than bee pollen, but the activity was dependent upon the extraction solvent, bee species and cell line. Propolis extracts from T. incisa and Timia apicalis showed the highest and lowest cytotoxic activity, respectively. Only the HepG2 cell line was broadly sensitive to the honey extracts. For pure compounds, doxorubicin was the most cytotoxic, the four propolis compounds the least, but the ChaGo-I cell line was sensitive to kaempferol at 10 µg/mL and KATO-III was sensitive to kaempferol and apigenin at 10 µg/mL. All pure compounds were effective against the BT474 cell line.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Propolis from T. incisa and Trigona fusco-balteata contain an in vitro cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines. Further study is required, including the isolation and characterization of the active antiproliferative agent(s).</p>