Protective effects of Tualang honey on bone structure in experimental postmenopausal rats.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Tualang honey on trabecular structure and compare these effects with those of calcium supplementation in ovariectomized rats.


METHODS
Forty female, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n =8): four controls and one test arm. The control arm comprised a baseline control, sham-operated control, ovariectomized control, and ovariectomized calcium-treated rats (receiving 1% calcium in drinking water ad libitum). The test arm was composed of ovariectomized, Tualang honey-treated rats (received 0.2 g/kg body weight of Tualang honey). Both the sham-operated control and ovariectomized control groups received vehicle treatment (deionized water), and the baseline control group was sacrificed without treatment.


RESULTS
All rats were orally gavaged daily for six weeks after day one post-surgery. The bone structural analysis of rats in the test arm group showed a significant increase in the bone volume per tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular number (Tb.N) and a significant decrease in inter-trabecular space (Tb.Sp) compared with the ovariectomized control group. The trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) in the test arm group was significantly higher compared with the ovariectomized-calcium treated group, and the inter-trabecular space (Tb.Sp) in the test arm group was significantly narrower compared with the ovariectomized-calcium treated group.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, ovariectomized rats that received Tualang honey showed more improvements in trabecular bone structure than the rats that received calcium.
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Department of Environmental Sciences, Selangor, Malaysia.
Siti Sarah Mohamad
SS
Zaid
Siti Amrah
SA
Sulaiman
Nor Hayati
NH
Othman
Ima-Nirwana
IN
Soelaiman
Ahmad Nazrun
AN
Shuid
Norazlina
N
Mohamad
Norliza
N
Muhamad
D000818:Animals; D056705:Apitherapy; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D002136:Calcium, Dietary