Medical & Life Sciences:EFFECTS OF PROPOLIS SUPPLEMENTATIONS

Medical & Life Sciences

EFFECTS OF PROPOLIS SUPPLEMENTATIONS ON OSTEOPATHY IN RATS WITH STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETES

Dr.Mohamed Taha Al-Hariri

Abstract

The Quran has said the following about bees in Surat Al- Nahl “And your Lord inspired the bee, saying: “Take you habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in that what they erect; (68) Then eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord, made smooth [for you]. There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying colour wherein is healing for mankind. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think; (69).
Propolis one of the drinks (honey, propolis, wax, pollens, venom and royal jelly) that come from bees bellies. Propolis has attracted researchers’ interest in the last decades because of its several biological and pharmacological properties (Bankova et al., 2000). Besides, propolis- containing products have been intensely marketed by the pharmaceutical industry and health-food stores (Banskota et al., 2000).

The aim of the present study is to investigate the possible protective effects of propolis against the destructive, oxidative changes and the underlining mechanisms in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes leading to osteopathy.

The experiment took six weeks, during which 70 male white albino rats 150-300 g were obtained from college of medicine (University of Dammam). Rats were divided in to 2 groups of 10 rats in each as follows: Group l: control non-diabetic rats, Group II: streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats as an experimental group (n = 60). Rats were injected

with streptozotocin (STZ) 60 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (IP) to induce diabetes. Group II was subdivided as follows: Group II-1:non-treated diabetic rats, Group II-2 diabetic rats treated with insulin 5u/kg, Group II-3: diabetic rats treated with propolis 0.3g/kg, Group II-4: diabetic rats treated with double the hypoglycemic dose of propolis 0.6g/kg, Group II-5: diabetic rats treated with propolis (0.3g/kg) + insulin and Group II-6: diabetic rats treated with propolis (0.6g/kg) + insulin.

At the end of the experiment, rats were sacrified and 1) blood was collected from the aorta. The following parameters were measured: glucose, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and lipid peroxidation levels and 2) femurs for measurement of weights, ash contents of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

The results of the present study showed that the treatment of rats with propolis with or without insulin was associated with a significant decrease in the blood glucose levels to approach near that of the control (negative) group.

It was found that, treatment of diabetic rats by propolis and propolis plus insulin caused normalization in the calcitonin levels. Parathyroid hormone concentration in the non treated diabetic (positive) group were significantly increased compared to the negative control as well as all the treated groups (112, 113, 114, 115and I16), while the increases in the mean values of plasma parathyroid hormone concentrations in all the treated groups (112, 113, 114, 115and 116) found to be insignificant compared to the negative control group.

With the double dose propolis with insulin treated group, the mean values of femur ash (FA) per femur weight (FW) were found to be significantly higher than in the non treated diabetic (positive) group and propolis treated group while the groups (112, 114, 115and 116) didn’t showed a significant increase in their FA/FW ratio.

Treatment with propolis restored ash calcium, phosphorus and magnesium concentration to normal.

It is concluded that, propolis administration with the traditional treatment of T1D (insulin) is very beneficial in the control of the disease and prevention of the most dangerous complications as osteopathy.