title: Glibenclamide or metformin combined with honey improves glycemic control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus is associated with deterioration of glycemic control and progressive metabolic derangements. This study investigated the effect of honey as an adjunct to glibenclamide or metformin on glycemic control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin. The diabetic rats were randomized into six groups and administered distilled water, honey, glibenclamide, glibenclamide and honey, metformin or metformin and honey. The animals were treated orally once daily for four weeks. The diabetic control rats showed hypoinsulinemia (0.27 ± 0.01 ng/ml), hyperglycemia (22.4 ± 1.0 mmol/L) and increased fructosamine (360.0 ± 15.6 µmol/L). Honey significantly increased insulin (0.41 ± 0.06 ng/ml), decreased hyperglycemia (12.3 ± 3.1 mmol/L) and fructosamine (304.5 ± 10.1 µmol/L). Although glibenclamide or metformin alone significantly (p < 0.05) reduced hyperglycemia, glibenclamide or metformin combined with honey produced significantly much lower blood glucose (8.8 ± 2.9 or 9.9 ± 3.3 mmol/L, respectively) compared to glibenclamide or metformin alone (13.9 ± 3.4 or 13.2 ± 2.9 mmol/L, respectively). Similarly, glibenclamide or metformin combined with honey produced significantly (p < 0.05) lower fructosamine levels (301.3 ± 19.5 or 285.8 ± 22.6 µmol/L, respectively) whereas glibenclamide or metformin alone did not decrease fructosamine (330.0 ± 29.9 or 314.6 ± 17.9 µmol/L, respectively). Besides, these drugs or their combination with honey increased insulin levels. Glibenclamide or metformin combined with honey also significantly reduced the elevated levels of creatinine, bilirubin, triglycerides, and VLDL cholesterol. These results indicate that combination of glibenclamide or metformin with honey improves glycemic control, and provides additional metabolic benefits, not achieved with either glibenclamide or metformin alone.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. erejuwa@gmail.com
authors: Omotayo Owomofoyon
authors: OO
authors: Erejuwa
authors: Siti Amrah
authors: SA
authors: Sulaiman
authors: Mohd Suhaimi Ab
authors: MS
authors: Wahab
authors: Kuttulebbai Nainamohammed Salam
authors: KN
authors: Sirajudeen
authors: Md Salzihan Md
authors: MS
authors: Salleh
authors: Sunil
authors: S
authors: Gurtu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D019270:Fructosamine / Q000097:blood; D005905:Glyburide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006722:Honey; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D019270:Fructosamine; D008687:Metformin; D003404:Creatinine; D001663:Bilirubin; D005905:Glyburide