FTIR characterization of Sahara honey and propolis and evaluation of its anticandidal potentials

Abstract Antifungal of bee products have been shown to be protective against microbial biofilms invasion Sahara honey and propolis were applied as an antimicrobial in treatment for many infections in Algeria. In this study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was utilized to characterize the chemical structures and functional groups. In addition, in this study, we determined the anti-candida activity of honey used alone or in combination with propolis. Proteins, carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, free amino acids, cellulose and lipids, ketones and phenol compounds were identified by FTIR analysis. Combination of Sahara honey and propolis increased antifungal efficacy, compared to compounds tested alone. Propolis increased the anti-candidal effect of Sahara honey. In addition, the treatment of Sahara honey and Propolis-Sahara honey catheters with a Candida albicans biofilms reduced biofilm formation after 24 and 48-h exposure period. The results provide evidence that honey/propolis combination may help in designing a more potent novel, natural antibiofilm blend at sufficiently low concentrations in medical domain.