Exploring the therapeutic properties of Centauri® honey: Antimicrobial and anti-skin-related enzymes study

Centauri ®​ Cave Nymph Honey is a distinctive natural product collected from Turkey’s alpine regions, made by bees from endemic medicinal plants such as Centaurea solstitialis . Harvested from an untouched environment, minimizes contaminants, preserving its bioactive compounds. Previous studies have reported its physicochemical characteristics and promising anti-inflammatory activity [ 1 ]. Building upon these findings, the present study aimed to further explore the bioactive potential of one Centauri ®​ honey sample, collected in Turkey (August 2022) ( A ) and two additional supplemented samples with propolis ( AP ) and gold ( AG ) evaluating its antimicrobial activity and its inhibitory effects on skin-related enzymes Antimicrobial activity of these three samples was evaluated through minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) assays. The results indicated that different all Centaury ®​ honey samples ( A , AP , and AG ) exhibit promising antimicrobial effects against all tested strains. Samples A demonstrated effectiveness particularly against E. coli , showing inhibition at concentrations as low as 0.05% (v/v). The enriched variants, AP and AG, exhibited amplified antimicrobial effects, especially against Gram-positive bacteria ( S. aureus and E. faecalis ) and fungal strains ( S. cerevisiae and C. albicans ), with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.05% to 0.781% (v/v). All Honey samples showed in vitro inhibitory effects on skin-related enzymes, where the honey supplemented with propolis AP exhibited the highest enzymatic inhibitory potential (44% to 74%). Centauri ®​ honey, especially when enriched with propolis ( AP ) or gold ( AG ), demonstrates promising antimicrobial and anti-enzymatic activity, highlighting its potential for cosmetic applications through effective inhibition of skin-related enzymes. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany