PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT OF BITTER HONEY SAMPLES

Abstract

Honey is a nutritional food used in medicine since antiquity because of its broad spectrum of therapeutic activities. The aim of this present study was to screen the phytogenic chemical compounds present in bitter honey samples of Nilgiris and to determine the physicochemical properties and total phenolic content. Ethno medical survey conducted in Nilgiris revealed the medicinal importance of bitter honey among Alu Kurumba tribes. The Phytochemical screening showed positive results for carbohydrates, tannins, amino acids, saponins and flavonoids. The results of physicochemical parameters are within the limits described by FSSAI except for reducing and total reducing sugar in the second sample. The total phenolic content present in bitter honey samples were found to be 1136.64±36.497 mg/Kg equivalent of gallic acid and 1626 .46±75.003mg/Kg equivalent of gallic acid which indicates that both the bitter honey samples can be a good source of antioxidants when compared to sweet honey.