Bioprospecção de compostos com atividade antimicrobiana em méis de Scaptotrigona bipunctata

Abstract

The increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has intensified the search for new bioactive compounds from natural sources. In this context, stingless bees and their products represent promising alternatives due to their rich microbial symbioses. This study investigated the antimicrobial activity of honeys produced by Scaptotrigona bipunctata, a stingless bee species endemic to Brazil, and aimed to isolate microorganisms potentially responsible for this activity. Honey samples were collected from five different localities in Toledo, Paraná, Brazil. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Streptococcus pyogenes using agar well diffusion assays. All samples inhibited S. aureus, while no activity was observed against E. coli. The most active sample also inhibited B. cereus and S. pyogenes. A total of 25 bacterial isolates were obtained from the honeys under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Two isolates exhibited antagonistic activity against S. aureus, with their cell-free supernatants (CFS) producing inhibition zones and showing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 25%. The isolates were initially identified as Gram-positive bacteria. These findings indicate that S. bipunctata honey and its associated microbiota are potential sources of antimicrobial compounds, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, underscoring their biotechnological relevance for the development of novel therapeutic agents.