Evaluation of Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Bee Pollen

Abstract

Bee pollen is a promising natural product with therapeutic potential, yet its chemical-bioactivity relationship remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the chemical composition and in vitro biological activities of bee pollen and examine their relationship to phenolic content. A bee pollen sample collected from the Tafilah region of Jordan was analyzed for its phenolic, protein, and carotenoid content. Its botanical origin was identified using Melissopalynological analysis. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemolytic activities were evaluated using standard in vitro assays. The sample contained 0.581 mg/mL phenols, 7.939 mg/mL proteins, 138.3 mg/kg β-carotene, and 643.0 mg/kg lycopene. Melissopalynological analysis revealed a wide variety of botanical sources. The extract demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemolytic activities of 48.7%, 56.74%, and 71.24%, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between total phenolic content and biological activities. This finding validates the fact that bee pollen is biologically active with great biological potential related to phenolic content and therefore has potential as apitherapeutic agent and potential development of functional natural products.