title: Pancreatoprotective effects of Geniotrigona thoracica stingless bee honey in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced male diabetic rats.
abstract: Stingless bee honey (SLBH) has been claimed to possess multiple health benefits. Its anti-diabetic properties are however unknown. In this study, ability of SLBH from Geniotrigona thoracica stingless bee species in ameliorating pancreatic damage and in maintaining metabolic profiles were investigated in diabetic condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  SLBH at 1 and 2g/kg/b.w. was given orally to streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide-induced male diabetic rats for 28days. Metabolic parameters (fasting blood glucose-FBG and lipid profiles-LP and serum insulin) were measured by biochemical assays. Distribution and expression level of insulin, oxidative stress marker i.e. catalase, inflammatory markers i.e. IKK-β, TNF-α, IL-1β and apoptosis marker i.e. caspase-9 in the pancreatic islets were identified and quantified respectively by immunohistochemistry. Levels of NF-κβ in pancreas were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  SLBH administration to diabetic male rats prevented increase in FBG, total cholesterols (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. However, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and serum insulin levels in diabetic rats receiving SLBH increased. Additionally, histopathological changes and expression level of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis markers in pancreatic islets of diabetic rats decreased with increased expression level of insulin in the islets. LC-MS analysis revealed the presence of several compounds in SLBH that might be responsible for these effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLBH has great potential to be used as agent to protect the pancreas against damage and dysfunction where these could account for its anti-diabetic properties.
authors.affiliation: Bio-Industrial Technology Program, Faculty of Agro-Based Industry, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Campus Jeli, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Muhammad Shakir Abdul
authors.initials: MSA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nelli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giribabu
authors.affiliation: Bio-Industrial Technology Program, Faculty of Agro-Based Industry, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Campus Jeli, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia; Institute of Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, 17600, Malaysia. Electronic address: visuthebiotech@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pasupuleti Visweswara
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: naguib.salleh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Naguib
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salleh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001516:Bees / Q000737:chemistry*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006722:Honey; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009536:Niacinamide; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D009536:Niacinamide
keywords: Anti-diabetic; Pancreatoprotective; Stingless bee honey