Published online Mar 20, 2024. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v14.i1.91271
Peer-review started: December 26, 2023
First decision: January 11, 2024
Revised: January 24, 2024
Accepted: March 1, 2024
Article in press: March 1, 2024
Published online: March 20, 2024
Processing time: 84 Days and 8.3 Hours
Diabetes is known damage the liver and kidney, leading to hepatic dysfunction and kidney failure. Honey is believed to help in lowering the blood glucose levels of diabetic patients and reducing diabetic complications. However, the effect of stingless bee honey (SBH) administration in relieving liver and kidney damage in diabetes has not been well-studied.
To investigate the effect of SBH administration on the kidney and liver of streptozotocin-induced (STZ; 55 mg/kg) diabetic Sprague Dawley rats.
The rats were grouped as follows (n = 6 per group): non-diabetic (ND), untreated diabetic (UNT), metformin-treated (MET), and SBH+metformin-treated (SBME) groups. After successful diabetic induction, ND and UNT rats were given normal saline, whereas the treatment groups received SBH (2.0 g/kg and/or metformin (250 mg/kg) for 12 d. Serum biochemical parameters and histological changes using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) staining were evaluated.
On H&E and PAS staining, the ND group showed normal architecture and cellularity of Bowman’s capsule and tubules, whereas the UNT and MET groups had an increased glomerular cellularity and thickened basement membrane. The SBH-treated group showed a decrease in hydropic changes and mild cellularity of the glomerulus vs the ND group based on H&E staining, but the two were similar on PAS staining. Likewise, the SBME-treated group had an increase in cellularity of the glomerulus on H&E staining, but it was comparable to the SBH and ND groups on PAS staining. UNT diabetic rats had tubular hydropic tubules, which were smaller than other groups. Reduced fatty vacuole formation and dilated blood sinusoids in liver tissue were seen in the SBH group. Conversely, the UNT group had high glucose levels, which subsequently increased MDA levels, ultimately leading to liver damage. SBH treatment reduced this damage, as evidenced by having the lowest fasting glucose, serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels compared to other groups, although the levels of liver enzymes were not statistically significant.
The cellularity of the Bowman’s capsule, as well as histological alteration of kidney tubules, glomerular membranes, and liver tissues in diabetic rats after oral SBH resembled those of ND rats. Therefore, SBH exhibited a protective hepatorenal effect in a diabetic rat model.
Core Tip: Honey products are widely recognized for their abundant vitamin content and bioactive components, which enhance their potential therapeutic benefits in the management of diabetes. This study demonstrated the hepatic and renal protective properties of stingless bee honey, which improved the architecture of the kidney and liver in diabetic rats. Thus, stingless bee honey could be useful in the treatment or prevention of liver and kidney impairment in diabetes.