Safflower honey is a unique type of monofloral honey collected from the nectar of Carthamus tinctorius L. in the Apis mellifera colonies of northwestern China. Scant information is available regarding its chemical composition and biological activities. Here, for the first time, we investigated this honey’s chemical composition and evaluated its in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Basic physicochemical parameters of the safflower honey samples in comparison to established quality standards suggested that safflower honeys presented a good level of quality. The in vitro antioxidant tests showed that extract from Carthamus tinctorius L. honey (ECH) effectively scavenged DPPH and ABTS⁺ free radicals. In lipopolysaccharides (LPS) activated murine macrophages inflammatory model, ECH treatment to the cells inhibited the release of nitric oxide and down-regulated the expressions of inflammatory-relating genes (iNOS, IL-1β, TNF-α and MCP-1). The expressions of the antioxidant genes TXNRD, HO-1, and NQO-1, were significantly boosted in a concentration-dependent manner. ECH decreased the phosphorylation of IκBα and inhibited the nuclear entry of the NF-κB-p65 protein, in LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells, accompany with the increased expressions of Nrf-2 and HO-1, suggesting that ECH achieved the anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting NF-κB signal transduction and boosting the antioxidant system via activating Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling. These results, taken together, indicated that safflower honey has great potential into developing as a high-quality agriproduct.

The antibacterial activity of propolis has long been of great interest, and the chemical composition of propolis is directly dependent on its source. We recently obtained a type of propolis from China with a red color. Firstly, the antibacterial properties of this unusual propolis were determined against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Studies on its composition identified and quantified 14 main polyphenols of Chinese red propolis extracts (RPE); quantification was carried out using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QQQ-MS/MS) and RPE was found to be rich in pinobanksin, pinobanksin-3-acetate, and chrysin. In vitro investigations of its antibacterial activity revealed that its activity against S. aureus and MRSA is due to disruption of the cell wall and cell membrane, which then inhibits bacterial growth. Despite its similar antibacterial activities against S. aureus and MRSA, metabolomic analysis further revealed the effects of RPE on bacteria metabolism were different. The untargeted metabolomic results showed that a total of 7 metabolites in 12 metabolic pathways had significant changes (Fold change > 2, p < 0.05 *) after RPE treatment in S. aureus, while 11 metabolites in 9 metabolic pathways had significant changes (Fold change > 2, p < 0.05 *) after RPE treated on MRSA. Furthermore, RPE downregulated several specific genes related to bacterial biofilm formation, autolysis, cell wall synthesis, and bacterial virulence in MRSA. In conclusion, the data obtained indicate that RPE may be a promising therapeutic agent against S. aureus and MRSA.

This study assessed the effects of dietary honeycomb supplementation on laying performance, intestinal inflammation, ovarian function, and yolk precursor synthesis in laying hens. A total of 320 Dawu Golden Phoenix laying hens (288-d-old) were randomly assigned into four treatment groups with eight replicates of 10 hens each. Hens were provided diets containing 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg honeycomb for 30 d. Dietary honeycomb significantly increased average egg weight, average daily feed intake, and laying rate, while decreasing the feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). It enhanced serum antioxidant capacity, as reflected by higher GSH, SOD, and CAT activity (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, honeycomb modulated the expression of Nrf2/Keap1 pathway-related genes, accompanied by increased expression of downstream antioxidant-related genes. Additionally, honeycomb downregulated intestinal inflammatory- and apoptosis-related factors (p < 0.05), which effectively alleviated intestinal inflammation responses. In the liver, honeycomb showed favorable histological changes, including fewer lipid droplets and less vacuolar degeneration. Furthermore, it decreased serum ALT, AST, and TG levels and promoted yolk precursor synthesis by upregulating genes associated with lipid transport and vitellogenesis (p < 0.05). In the ovary, honeycomb optimized ovarian morphology and follicle development; elevated serum FSH, E2, and MLT levels; and enhanced the expression of steroidogenesis-related genes (p < 0.05), thereby promoting steroid hormone synthesis and reducing follicular atresia. In conclusion, dietary honeycomb supplementation could maintain intestinal health, modulate hepatic and ovarian metabolism functions, promote yolk precursor synthesis, improve follicle development, and consequently, enhance the laying performance of hens.