Effects of honeybee (apis mellifera) venom on redox balance, biochemical and hematological profile in diabetic rats: A preliminary study

Authors: BARIŞ DENK, ABDURRAHMAN FATİH FİDAN

Abstract: The treatment of diseases with honeybee venom (apitoxin) is a branch of apitherapy, which has yet to find substantial scientific support. In this present study, we used apitoxin to investigate its effects on diabetes mellitus (DM) in rats. The use of apitoxin injection on single-dose streptozotocin (STZ)-treated rat model was selected, and the study took 28 days. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was measured weekly. Biochemical and hematological parameters, oxidative stress markers, and insulin levels were measured from the blood samples provided on the last day of the study, and the DNA damage marker (8-OHdG) was measured from urine samples. We found that apitoxin increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonylated protein (PCO), and decreased glutathione (GSH) levels significantly. Additionally, apitoxin increased nitric oxide (NOx) levels significantly in diabetic rats. The findings suggest that apitoxin increases oxidative stress to some extent. Apitoxin had no significant effect on plasma insulin levels. Apitoxin apparently caused small decreases in FBG levels. Apitoxin appears to cause an increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and an increase in the number of platelets (PLT) and granulocytes (GRAN) in diabetic rats. Consequently, the possible antidiabetic effect of apitoxin on DM could only be supported at the preliminary level and presented with speculation in this state of the study.

Keywords: Apitherapy with apitoxin, honeybee venom, plasma insulin concentration, redox system, streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus

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