Diabetic neuropathy is the most common complication affecting more than 50% of patients with longstanding diabetes. Till date, there are no reports to explain the scientific basis of alternative medicine as an adjunct therapy for treating diabetic neuropathy. Hence, we studied the effect of honey and insulin treatment on hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, oxidant and anti-oxidant status and nerve conduction in experimental diabetic neuropathy Wistar rats. In this experimental study, forty healthy male Wistar albino rats of 10–12 weeks age, weighing between 150 to 200g were obtained from our institute central animal house. After acclimatization, the rats were divided into control (n = 8) and experimental (n = 32) groups randomly. In the experimental group, type 2 diabetic neuropathy was induced with high fat and high sugar diet for 8 weeks followed by streptozotocin at a dose of 35 mg/kg body weight. Three days after streptozotocin injection, blood glucose levels of rats were measured from fasting samples to confirm diabetes. After the development of diabetes, rats were given standard rodent chow and allowed four more weeks to remain diabetic and to develop neuropathy. Every second week, nerve conduction study was done to confirm neuropathy. All the diabetic rats of experimental group developed neuropathy after 4 weeks of developing diabetes, which was confirmed by significant reduction in conduction velocity of sensory and motor nerve when compared to non-diabetic control group. After the development of neuropathy, these rats were randomly divided into diabetic neuropathy with no treatment group (n = 8) and three treatment groups (n = 8, each). The rats of treatment group were administered with either honey or insulin or honey+insulin for six weeks. After six-weeks of intervention, there was significant decrease in blood glucose and lipids in honey, insulin and honey+insulin treated neuropathy rats, when compared with no treatment group. Malondialdehyde was reduced and total anti-oxidant status improved in all the three treatment groups. There was no significant increase in conduction velocity of sciatic tibial motor nerve in treatment groups when compared with no treatment group. However, the sensory nerve conduction velocity improved significantly in honey+insulin treated neuropathy rats. In conclusion, six-week honey treatment helped in reducing dyslipidemia and oxidative stress. Honey given along with insulin for six-weeks improved sensory nerve conduction velocity in experimental diabetic neuropathy Wistar rats.
Background and Aim: Honey is a natural substance with various medicinal properties which include antibacterial, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects. However, the role of honey in the management of neuropathic morbidities in diabetic neuropathy has not been studied. Especially, the effect of honey on fasting blood glucose and lipid profile in diabetic neuropathy has not been assessed. Therefore, in the present study we have assessed the effect of honey treatment on blood glucose and lipid profile in animal diabetic neuropathy model. Methods: Twenty-four healthy male Wistar albino rats of 10-12 weeks age, weighing 200±30 g were obtained from JIPMER central animal house. After one week of habituation, rats were divided into three groups randomly. After developing diabetic neuropathy, Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) and lipid profile, Aspartate Transaminase (AST) and Alanine transaminase (ALT) were measured in blood sample in the rats before and after honey treatment. Results: Significant increase in FBG, AST, ALT and lipid profile except HDL cholesterol was seen in diabetic neuropathy when compared with normal healthy rats. There was a significant reduction in all these parameters except HDL-cholesterol after four-week honey treatment in comparison with diabetic neuropathy rats without treatment. Conclusion: Honey, given at a dose of 0.5 gm/kg BW for four weeks is effective in reducing blood glucose, atherogenic index and lipid profile and improving liver functions in albino rats.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.