The Relationship between Antioxidant and Anti-Ulcer Activities in Saudi Honey Samples Harvested from Various Regions in Different Seasons

The main chemical components of 13 Saudi honey samples (composed of winter and summer honeys) were identified according to anti-ulcer and antioxidant activity by using phytochemical and chromatographic analyses. Phytochemical screening of ethyl acetate and water extracts was used to detect the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, amino acids, and phenolic acids. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of sugar contents was used to detect the presence of galactose in all of the honey samples. The other detected sugars were sucrose, fructose, and arabinose. Fifteen amino acids were detected in all of the honey samples: Prolin is dominant in all of the honey samples. The citric acid and tartaric acids of winter and summer honey were also detected, in addition to faint traces of free oxalic acid. Both samples were tested for amino acids, phenolic compounds, and sugars. The most crucial result derived in this study is the effect of summer honey on ulcers. The anti-ulcer activities were also evaluated, showing that oral administration of the honey samples reduced the intensity of ulcer scores when compared to the control group. Similarly, there was a highly significant reduction in the values of the ulcer indices and areas in rats that received the same sample (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01) in comparison with those of the ulcer control rats. Finally, the antioxidant activity of the honey samples was evaluated, revealing a proportional relationship between the anti-oxidant and anti-ulcer activities. The results of this study could be reached that the effectiveness of honey as an anti-ulcer increase with the increasing its antioxidant activities.