Analysis of Floral Sources of a Local Honey Used in Clinical Treatment of Topical Community Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.

Abstract

A study was initiated during the summers of 2015-2019 to characterize the floral and chemical components in a local honey (clinical honey) that was being used in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved clinical study designed to evaluate effectiveness in controlling topical community acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (caMRSA) infections. Floral sources were determined by collecting nectar and pollen from plants visited by bees within the area where the local honey is being produced (Study Area). Pollen characteristics were determined by using both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This information was compared to pollen collected by a pollen trap on hives within the study area. The nectars and the medical honey were analyzed for biologically active compounds using Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). This equipment allows a researcher to extract, separate, and identify chemical components of a honey or nectar sample. Fourteen biologically active compounds were identified from the eighteen floral sources and the clinical honey. Nine of the fourteen compounds were selected for standard minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) antibacterial assay using CAMRSA ATCC BAA-44 strain. Phenylethyl alcohol and phenylacetaldehyde were the only compounds exhibiting promising activity against caMRSA. Both exhibited bacteriostatic activity. A variety of antibiotic compounds were unique to clinical honey. This suggests that the various nectars provide a large chemical base for antibiotic compounds.