The botanical and geographical origin of honey may be evaluated through melissopalynology, which is used to assess the pollen types present in the honey and to suggest its floral source. In the Brazilian Amazonia, few melissopalynological studies have been PF-02341066 clinical trial conducted since the 1980s. Pollen foraging has been studied, especially in the genus Melipona; however, the pollen found in Melipona honey has been poorly studied in this region ( Rech & Absy, 2011). Taking into account all these aspects, the present study was undertaken with the purpose of determining the

botanical origin and phenolic compound profile of honeys produced by the species M. (Michmelia) s. merrillae in seven counties of the Amazonas state in the Northern region of Brazil. In addition, we evaluated the honeys for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The reagents Folin–Ciocalteu, potassium persulfate, Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid 97%), ascorbic acid, gallic acid, ABTS [2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] and the phenolic standards were supplied by Sigma–Aldrich (St. Louis, MO). The solvents ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol and DSMO were supplied by Cinética e Tédia

(Brazil), and the Mueller–Hinton agar and the Sabouraud Dextrose Agar were purchased from Difco Laboratories (Detroit, GSK-3 activation MI). The samples of honey from the species M. s. merrillae were collected from beehive meliponaries in seven counties from Amazonas state, Brazil. There were four counties chosen from the Central region of Amazonas state [Manaus (CAD1), Rio Preto da Eva (CAD2), Coari (CAD3) and Maués (CAD4)], and there were three counties chosen from the Southern region of Amazonas [Boca do Acre (SAD1), Pauini (SAD2) and Lábrea (SAD3)]. The collection was performed with 20-mL sterile disposable syringes, and the honey was transferred to 600-mL polyethylene bottles,

which were stored at 8 °C until analysis. The methanol extracts and the ethyl acetate fractions of the honey samples were prepared following the methodology previously described by Andrade, Ferreres, and Amaral (1997). Initially, 50 g of honey, 250 mL of water acidified with hydrochloric acid (pH 2) and 100 g of Amberlite XAD-2 resin were mixed. After homogenisation aminophylline using a magnetic stirrer for 30 min, the mix was transferred to a glass column (42 × 3.2 cm) and was washed with 250 mL of acidified water (pH 2), followed by 300 mL of distilled water. The elution was performed with 300 mL methanol. To obtain the extract, the solvent was removed at 40 °C under reduced pressure in a rotary evaporator. Fractionation with ethyl acetate for the removal of sugars was performed utilising 1 g of the methanol extract, to which 5 mL of distilled water and 5 mL of ethyl acetate were added.