“Água-mel” is a honey-based product produced in Portugal for ancient times. Several attributes have been reported to “água-mel” particularly in the alleviation of simple symptoms of upper respiratory tract. Samples of “água-mel” from diverse beekeepers from different regions of Portugal were studied in what concerns antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiviral properties. The amounts of phenol and brown pigment were also evaluated and correlated with the antioxidant activities. A great variability on the levels of these compounds was found among samples which were responsible for the variability detected also on the antioxidant activities, independent on the method used. Generally, antioxidant activity correlated better with brown pigments’ amount than with phenols’ content. The antimicrobial activity found for “água-mel” samples confirm the virtues reported by popular findings. In addition, this work also reveals the antiviral properties of “água-mel” evidenced by a decrease on the infectivity of the Qβ bacteriophage.

"Tres medios de cultivo preparados en agua de mar fueron usados para la producción de biomasa y ficocianina por Arthrospira maxima. Entre los tres medios preparados en agua de mar, la tasa de crecimiento y la biomasa fueron los más bajos en SWMAB, el cual es idéntico a SWM, pero incluye varios elementos esenciales conocidos (Zn, Cu, Mo, Mn). El crecimiento en SWMX2, el cual tiene el doble de concentración de NaHCO3 , N, P y FeEDTA que SWM, no fue significativamente diferente para estos dos medios. Arthrospira maxima alcanza una concentración de biomasa de 2.7 ± 0.06 g L–1 en un medio mineral estándar, pero <1.2 ± 0.09 g L–1 en los medios preparados en agua de mar. El contenido de pigmentos en células crecidas en los medios preparados en agua de mar fue de <2.78 ± 0.46, < 1.85 ± 0.184 y <19.83 ± 3.16 mg g–1 células para clorofila a, carotenoides y ficocianina, respectivamente. La ficocianina producida en los medios preparados en agua de mar mostró leves diferencias en sus propiedades espectrales de absorción y fluorescencia máxima comparadas con las de A.platensis." | "Three seawater-based media were used for biomass and phycocyanin production by Arthrospira maxima. Among the three seawater-based media, growth rate and biomass were lowest in SWMAB, which is identical to SWM but includes several known essential elements (Zn, Cu, Mo, Mn). Growth in SWMX2, which has double the concentration of NaHCO3 , N, P and FeEDTA than SWM, was not significantly different. Arthrospira maxima reached a biomass concentration of 2.7 ± 0.06 g L–1 in a mineral standard medium, but <1.2 ± 0.09 g L–1 in the seawater-based media. Pigment content in cells grown in the seawater-based media was <2.78 ± 0.46, <1.85 ± 0.18 and <19.83 ± 3.16 mg g–1 cell for chlorophyll a, carotenoids and phycocyanin, respectively. The phycocyanin produced in the seawater-based media had slightly different absorption and fluorescence maxima compared to those of A.platensis."