Thymol, Camphor Add to Therapeutic Properties of Spanish Honey

Study of the Essential Oil Components in Honey of Aragon (NE Spain)

[Editor's Note: The following presentation were offered at the 6th German Apitherapy and Apipuncture Congress held in Passau from March 27th to April 1st, 2008]

By Adamczyk S., Lázaro R, Pérez-Arquillué C., Conchello, P., Herrera A., Veterinary Faculty, Department of Animal Production and Food Science, Area of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, E- 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Contact: sabinede@unizar.es

Due to its climatic conditions, Aragon is rich in aromatic herbs, in particular in labiataes (labiates). Many of these labiates are medicinal plants such as rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), thyme (Thymus sp.) and lavender (Lavandula sp.) and their honey also has therapeutic properties.

The objective of this study is to determine the essential oil components, in particular Labiataes, of 63 honey samples from Aragon.

Materials and methods: The method of determination of the essential oils components (thymol, eucalyptol, menthol and camphor) in honey consists of solid phase extraction using C18 columns and an identification and quantification of the essential oils components with capillary gas chromatography (GC-FID).

This analytical method based on that described by Bogdanov et al. (1998) has been optimized and validated in our laboratory.

Results: Twenty-three honey samples contain thymol levels between 0.2 and 6.5 µg/ghoney and 24 samples camphor levels between 0,2 and 2,2 µg/ghoney. Concentrations of eucalyptol and menthol were not found above the limit of detection.

Conclusion: These results show that thymol and camphor, which are especially found in Labiataes, were present at higher levels of concentration in some honey from Aragon. This supports the therapeutic properties of its honey.

Acknowledgment: This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Technology (INIA), by the Government of Aragon (apiculture government aid, Spain) and by DGA/Grupo de Investigación Consolidado A01.