Ongalbek_2026_Food.Chem_511_148733

Kazakhstan has unique nectar sources like Tamarix and Agrimonia, but their monofloral honeys' chemical and bioactive properties are still underexplored. This study thoroughly characterized Tamarix (n = 16) and Agrimonia (n = 10) honeys from three regions of Kazakhstan, focusing on their phenolic content, antioxidant, and enzyme-inhibitory activities, using chemometric techniques. The botanical origin of the honeys, meeting international quality standards, was confirmed through melissopalynological analysis. Phenolic profiling identified twenty compounds, with gallic acid (793.6 +/- 63.5-1024.7 +/- 76.4 mg/kg), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (0.96 +/- 0.46-42.67 +/- 24.44 mg/kg), p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (0.96 +/- 0.52-213.3 +/- 102.6 mg/kg), coumarin (9.10 +/- 4.53-57.48 +/- 8.19 mg/kg), ferulic acid (19.70 +/- 1.84-47.93 +/- 17.28 mg/kg), and caffeic acid (1.35 +/- 0.78-10.88 +/- 3.18 mg/kg) as major constituents depending on mg/kg geographical origin. Antioxidant activity was assessed using five complementary assays, while enzyme inhibitory activities were tested against acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, urease, and tyrosinase. Tamarix honeys generally showed stronger antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities, whereas Agrimonia honeys demonstrated significant radical scavenging potential. PCA and HCA successfully classified honeys by botanical and geographical origin, confirming that phenolic fingerprints serve as reliable chemotaxonomic markers. These findings highlight the functional and industrial potential of Tamarix and Agrimonia honeys as valuable food and nutraceutical products.