Background: Honey is one of the most valuable foods that used in human societies to treat many diseases due to its healing properties for centuries. The lack of an objective way to distinguish natural honey from counterfeit honey has strengthened the field of profiteering in this area and has led to the supply of counterfeit honey instead of natural honey. So honey quality must be controlled analytically with the aim of guaranteeing the reality and preserving the consumer from commercial speculation. Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate 24 samples of 9 commercial brands of honey in Tehran's markets with number 1 to 9 (1-AB, 2-TF, 3-DP, 4-JK, 5-SN, 6-SK, 7-IM, 8-MD, and 9-MH). A number of physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the samples were evaluated. Methods: Carbohydrate composition was determined by GC/Mass to evaluate the contents of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde (HMF) was quantified by HPLC-UV and other physicochemical quality parameters including moisture, pH, proline content; and diastase activity were also evaluated according to the Codex Alimentarius. Results: Only 2 brands met all major international specifications. Although all the parameters of the other brands were conformed, the diastase activity was not in a specific range. Conclusion: The diastasis activity is considered as the most important factor to evaluate honey quality based on the results of this study.

Background:The genus Phlomis is a member of Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family. About 10 species of this genus, among more than 100 species, are endemic to Iran. Phlomis rigida Labill. can be used as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and antioxidant in drug investigations, based on literature. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the composition, antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activity of essential oils and extract from leaves and flowers of P. rigida from Iran. The present study is the first research on P. rigida from Iran. Methods: Essential oils of leaves and flowers of P. rigida were studied by GC-MS and GC-FID to evaluate the chemical compositions. DPPH free radical scavenging method was used to evaluate the antioxidant effect of leaves and flowers extracts. Antimicrobial properties of the essential oils and extracts were investigated against various microorganisms in brain heart infusion agar to evaluate the minimum inhibitory concentration. A brine shrimp test (BST) was done to study the cytotoxicity of methanol extracts and essential oils from leaves and flowers in different concentrations. The growth inhibitory effects of the methanol extract from leaves and flowers were assessed against four cancer cell lines including MCF-7, MDBK, HT-29 and A-549. Results: Essential oils analysis showed 34 compounds and the main compounds were (Z)-β-ocimene (25.6 %), isobornyl acetate (16.6 %), trans-verbenol (12.6 %) and α-pinene (7.6 %). As a result of analysis of methanol extracts from leaves, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside and rosmarinic acid were isolated and identification for the first time from P. rigida growing in Iran. Investigation of antibacterial properties of the essential oil of flowers also showed 16 mm diameters of inhibition zone against Proteus vulgaris. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the antibacterial effect of P. rigida essential oil could be due to the presence of its monoterpenes.