ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF APICULTURAL PRODUCTS AGAINST SOME PATHOGENIC BACTERIA AND Candida albicans.

Results are presented showing the antimicrobial effects of bee venom, pollen, propolis and honeys (of thyme, oil-seed rape, acacia and lime) against a selection pathogenic bacteria and Candida albicans. Bee venom was found to show the strongest antimicrobial activity against all species. In the case of Staphylococcus aureus the inhibition zone for colony growth was even greater than the control antibiotic used for comparison (cefuroxin). The strains of bacteria studied showed sensitivity to propolis extract, the greatest growth inhibition being observed for Staphylococcus aureus. Pollen was found to exert a large antimicrobial effect, as evidenced by a large growth inhibition zone, on Pseudomonas aerugnosia. Lime flower honey showed moderate inhibitory effects on the growth of Staphylococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus and was the most potent of the honeys studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]