• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Background: Though the biomass of floral vegetation in understory plant communities in a forested ecosystem only accounts for less than 1% of the total biomass of a forest, they contain most of the floral resources of a forest. The diversity of understory honey plants determines visitation rate of pollinators such as honey bee (Apis mellifera) as they provide rich food resources. Since the flower visitation and foraging activity of pollinators lead to the provision of pollination service, it also means the enhancement of plant-pollinator relationship. Therefore, an appropriate management scheme for understory vegetation is essential in order to conserve pollinator population that is decreasing due to habitat destruction and disease infection. This research examined the diversity of understory honey plant and studied how it is related to environmental variables such as (1) canopy density, (2) horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height, (3) slope gradient, and (4) distance from roads. Vegetation survey data of 39 plots of mixed forests in Chuncheon, Korea, were used, and possible management practices for understory vegetation were suggested. Results: This study found that 113 species among 141 species of honey plant of the forests were classified as understory vegetation. Also, the understory honey plant diversity is significantly positively correlated with distance from the nearest road and horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height and negatively correlated with canopy density. Conclusions: The diversity of understory honey plant vegetation is correlated to vegetation structure and human impact. In order to enhance the diversity of understory honey plant, management of density and height of canopy is necessary. This study suggests that improved diversity of canopy cover through thinning of overstory vegetation can increase the diversity of understory honey plant species.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.10a
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• pp.97-97
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• 2018

Honey used as conventional medicine has various pharmacological properties. In the honey and anti-inflammatory effect, Gelam honey and Manuka honey has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory activity. However, the anti-inflammatory effect and potential mechanisms of acacia honey (AH) are not well understood. In this study, we investigated anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of action of AH in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AH attenuated NO production through inhibition of iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AH also decreased the expressions of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ as pro-inflammatory cytokines, and MCP-1 expression as a pro-inflammatory chemokine. In the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms, AH decreased LPS-mediated $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ degradation and subsequent nuclear accumulation of p65, which resulted in the inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation in RAW264.7 cells. AH dose-dependently suppressed LPS-mediated phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AH significantly inhibited ATF2 phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of ATF2 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that AH has an anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO, iNOS, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, $IL-1{\beta}$ and MCP-1 via interruption of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPK/ATF2 signaling pathways.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.612-621
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• 2018

Honey used as conventional medicine has various pharmacological properties. In the honey and anti-inflammatory effect, Gelam honey and Manuka honey has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory activity. However, the anti-inflammatory effect and potential mechanisms of acacia honey (AH) are not well understood. In this study, we investigated anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of action of AH in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AH attenuated NO production through inhibition of iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AH also decreased the expressions of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ as pro-inflammatory cytokines, and MCP-1 expression as a pro-inflammatory chemokine. In the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms, AH decreased LPS-mediated $I{\kappa}B$-${\alpha}$ degradation and subsequent nuclear accumulation of p65, which resulted in the inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation in RAW264.7 cells. AH dose-dependently suppressed LPS-mediated phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AH significantly inhibited ATF2 phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of ATF2 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that AH has an anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO, iNOS, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, $IL-1{\beta}$ and MCP-1 via interruption of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPK/ATF2 signaling pathways.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.83-91
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• 1983

The purpose of this study is concerned with identification of floral type of commercially available honeys and pollen loads. Ikuse's technique was applied to identify the pollen species of honey and pollen loads. Among six kinds of commercially available honeys in Taegu, Korea i.e. Robinia Honey, Brassica Honey, Castanea Honey, Rhododendron Honey, Lespedeza Honey and Multipant Honey, all honeys contained pollens, which were coincident with their trade names given by the apirists, except Lespedeza Honey. The trade name of imported honeys were not given by the plant, from which pollen material and nectar were collected. Among four kinds of these products, pollen was not identified in Clover Honey. A spectrum of honey products added by pollen loads was, of course, wider than simple honey products. The pollen load showed spectrum of pollens including not only those which are specialized for wind pollination, eq. Pinus species and Gramineae, but also contained for insect pollination, eq. rose and leguminous plants.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.166-175
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• 2022

Current food system has developed with the agricultural innovation to feed the increasing population of the world, but with high costs such as environmental contamination and inequality with low sustainability. Human has developed long history of mutualistic interaction with honey bee. This manuscript describes the multi-functionality of honey bee for food production. Firstly honey bee produces honey, bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis which are rich in functionality. Second honey bee serves as the main pollinator for crop production which is worth for 28% of total crop production values in Korea. Lastly honey bee can be an alternative meat produciton system with lower energy, carbon costs but higher nutritional security. This manuscript described those parts and discussed the multi-functionality of honey bees for eco-friendly food security pursuing lowered environmental cost and carbon-zero strategies in the climate change era.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.163-167
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• 2006

Reverse-Phase High-performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) based technique is one of the most sensitive techniques to detect the antibiotics present in honey. In the southern part of Tamilnadu, India, majority of the farmlands are occupied by plantations such as coconut, banana and rubber. A variety of antimicrobial compounds and antibiotics, which have been reported in pollen, nectar and other floral parts of the plant, gets accumulated in honey through honeybees (Apis mellifera). We have collected the nectar samples from banana (Musa paridasiaca) and rubber (Ficus elastica) flowers and the honey from honey hives of banana and rubber cultivated areas. The extracted nectar and honey samples are subjected to RP-HPLC analysis with authentic antibiotic standards. Nectar and honey samples showed 4-17, 11-29 ${\mu}g/kg$ of streptomycin, 2-29, 3-44 ${\mu}g/kg$ of ampicillin and 17-34, 26-48 ${\mu}g/kg$ of kanamycin respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.27-37
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• 2001

Using satellite image and GIS, spatial distribution characteristics of black locust forest as honey plant area was identified and analyzed. Upon the result, the most suitable area for black locust forest was selected through the integration analysis of transparent overlay. The variables used for spatial analysis such as topography(elevation, aspect, slope), soil, drainage, distance from urban area, land use, meteorological elements were considered. Based on the suitability analysis, it was clarified that the integration of linear and factor combination technique is greatly efficient method for the most suitable area. In addition, Gokung, Imgo, Chungtong, Hwanam area were shown to be suitable in Young-chun Area. As the result of suitability analysis for honey plant area of black locust in Young-chun using satellite image and GIS, the present portion of potential distribution area was produced about 42.53%. The portion of most suitable area for honey plant area of black locust was about 26.77%. Finally, the total area for honey plant area of black locust in Young-chun came up to $15.79km^2$. Additionally, satellite image and GIS were expected to be significant tools for suitability analysis of honey plant complex area.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.47-50
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• 1977

This report is intended to describe as brief as possible the result of study on purity of the Korean Bee Honey. Purity of bee honey was measured by scaling the enzyme activities of two different honey groups: such as, the standard group and control group each including the samples of honey originated from the resource of acarcia, chestnut or miscellaneous origin. The samples of honey were collected from different sources: to wit, honey belonging to the standard group were collected from the township of Seoboo, Yangju county, Kyunggido province, Korea, while honey belonging to the control group were collected from the street side shops, market or the companies producing the secondary food from honey. The results of this study were summarized as follow: 1. It was found that honey belonging to the standard group contained less moisture than those belonging to the control group. Republic of Korea Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Food Control Regulation stipulates that honey must contain moisture less than 20%. The samples of' both groups contained moisture more than 20%, although honey belonging to the control group were relatively more so than honey belonging to the standard group. 2. Honey belonging to the standard group were found stronger in sugar reduction activities than those belonging to the control group. It was also noted that honey of acracia origin was strongest in reduction activities of the three different origin in the same group. 3. $\alpha$-Amylase and $\beta$-amylase were discovered to have activated more strongly in honey belonging to the standard group than those belonging to the control group. The enzyme activitie, varied depending on the origin of plant where honey comes from. For instance, honey of miscellaneous origin indicated the strongest activities in $\alpha$-amylase while honey of chestnut origirt indicated strongest in $\beta$-amylase.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.154-160
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• 2022

Background: The mango is one of the essential fruit trees for the economy of Thailand. Mango pollination relies primarily on insects. Other external forces, such as wind, are less efficient since pollen is sticky and aggregating. There is only one report from Thailand on the use of bees as mango pollinators. The study of the behavior and pollination efficiency of honey bees (Apis mellifera) and stingless bees (Tetragonula laeviceps species complex) was conducted in Nam Dokmai mango plantings in Phrao and Mae Taeng districts, Chiang Mai province, between February and March 2019. Results: Our results reveal that the honey bees commenced foraging earlier than the stingless bee. The number of flowers visited within 1 minute by honey bees was higher than that visited by stingless bees. The average numbers of honey bees and stingless bees that flew out of the hive per minute from 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. in the Phrao district were 4.21 ± 1.62 and 9.88 ± 7.63 bees/min, respectively, i.e., higher than those observed in Mae Taeng, which were 3.46 ± 1.13 and 1.23 ± 1.20 bees/min, respectively. The numbers of fruits per tree were significantly higher in the honey bee and stingless bee treatments (T1 and T2) than in the open pollination treatment (T3). The number of fruits between T1 and T2 treatments was not different. In the pollinator exclusion treatment (T4), no fruit was produced. Fruit size factors were not significantly different among T1, T2, and T3 treatments. Conclusions: Our results showed that insect pollination is crucial for mango production, especially with the Nam Dokmai variety in Northern Thailand. As pollinator exclusion treatment showed no fruit set, and pollinator treatment significantly increased the fruit sets compared to open access plots, a managed pollinator program would benefit the mango growers for better productivity. Both the honey bee and the stingless bee were shown to be effective as pollinators.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2022

Chestnut honey is a sweet dark-colored honey with a distinct bitter aftertaste. It contains numerous phenolic compounds and alkaloids and is noted for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, it has been established that there are differences in the composition and activity of chestnut honey constituents depending on the region of origin, the sources of which warrant further research. In this study, we analyzed the kynurenic acid (KA) contents in chestnut honey produced in nine different regions in Korea, using high-performance liquid chromatography in conjunction with ultraviolet detection, and validated the analytical method developed. Use of a reverse-phase column and detection at a wavelength of 240 nm were found to be optimal for the detection of KA. Similar evaluation of an optimal method for extracting KA from chestnut honey revealed that extraction using 10% EtOH at 20 times the sample volume over a 6 h period was the most suitable for obtaining a high content of KA. Among the nine regional chestnut honeys assessed, KA content was found to be highest in the "Gongju" sample (1.14 mg/g), followed by that in the "Cheongdo" and "Damyang" samples. Validation of the KA analytical method revealed a good analyte linearity, with a correlation coefficient (r²) of 0.9995, an accuracy of between 92.37% and 107.35%, and good precision (RSD ≤ 1.05%). Our findings in this study, based on a validated quantitative analytical method for KA, could make an important contribution to establishing a data profiling procedure for characterizing chestnut honeys produced in different regions, and may also provide basic data for the identification of functional honey.