title: Hepatoprotective and Pancreatoprotective Properties of the Ethanolic Extract of Nigerian Propolis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased oxidative stress is associated with the progression of diabetic mellitus. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the ethanolic extract of Nigerian propolis (N. propolis) on markers of oxidative stress, histology of the liver and pancreas and glycaemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Alloxan-induced hyperglycemic Wistar rats were treated with either metformin (150 mg/kg/d) or N. propolis (200 mg/kg/d and 300 mg/kg/d) for 28 days. At the end of the treatment period, the rats were sacrificed; blood was collected for biochemical analysis while their pancreases and liver were excised and processed for histological studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum oxidative stress markers and blood glucose concentration were compared between the treated and control rats. In contrast to the non-treated diabetic rats, blood glucose concentration were not significantly different between treated rats and control (P < 0.05) at 28 days of treatment with N. propolis and metformin. Serum malondialdehyde levels was reduced while superoxide dismutase levels were elevated in the N. propolis group; these levels were converse in the diabetic group, these differences are statistically significant (P<0.05) when compared with the control. Histologically, there was improvement in the treated group compared to the untreated group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the N. propolis confers protection against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress in both liver and pancreas of adult Wistar rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ibrahim Ridwan
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Babatunde
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdulbasit
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Mustafa Ibrahim
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Oladayo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Onanuga Ismail
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Olasile
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Folarin Roehan
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Olamide
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Balogun Wasiu
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Gbolahan
keywords: Diabetes; Nigerian propolis; liver; metformin; oxidative stress; pancreas