Honey and Royal Jelly Inhibit Bacterial Lectins

Comparison of the Antibacterial Adhesion Activities of Honey and Royal Jelly in Blocking Lectins of the Soil-Borne Pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Chromobacterium violaceum, and Ralstonia solanacearum – to Those of Milk
Journal of ApiProduct & ApiMedical Science, Vol. 1 (3) pp. 82 - 89

Antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria prompted the search for natural compounds that could competitively block their lectin-mediated biofilm formation and adhesion to animal cells.

Important animal sources for such compounds are avian egg whites, mammalian milks, and beehive products, which protect embryos and neonates from infections.

The present communication describes a study of the glycan composition and antibacterial adhesion potential of honey and royal jelly (RJ), using the following bacterial lectins: the galactophylic PA-IL and fucophylic PA-IIL of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the fucophylic CV-IIL of Chromobacterium violaceum, and the fucophylic RSL and mannophylic RS-IIL of Ralstonia solanocearum, plus reference plant lectins: the mannophylic Con A of Canavalia ensiformis and fucophylic UEA-I (of Ulex europaeus).

The honey and royal jelly were found to inhibit all the bacterial lectins examined and Con A, but not UEA-I. The honey effect was mainly associated with low (<10 kDa) MW components and the RJ effect - with its glycoproteins. PA-IL inhibition by the two beehive products was relatively mild, while the other bacterial lectins were generally strongly blocked by them, with varying intensities and preferential component affinities. The presented information contributes to the scopes of api-products, antibacterial adhesion and api-medicine.