Abstract
Propolis is one of the hive products that has been used extensively in folk medicine, due to its several biological and pharmacological properties. Besides, propolis-containing products have been intensely marketed by the pharmaceutical industry and health-food stores. This work was carried out in order to investigate whether propolis treatment could revert the metabolic alterations of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Animals were kept in metabolic cages and diabetes was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg, IV). After a week, rats with glycemia higher than 230 mg/dL were divided into two groups and treated with ethanolic extract of propolis (10 and 90 mg/kg, PO) for seven days. Glycemia and free fatty acids were determined, as well as food and water intake, body weight and urine volume were registered weekly. Data showed no significant differences in the analyzed variables. Based on these results, one may conclude that propolis had no effects after diabetes establishment, in our conditions assays. Further assays with different concentrations of propolis and periods of administration should be carried out in order to evaluate its therapeutic potential in this disease.
Highlights
Propolis is a resinous material collected by bees from buds and plant exudates, which is mixed with products of their salivary glands and wax
From day 7 to day 14, diabetic rats were treated with ethanolic extract of propolis (0.4 mL, PO, once a day) in two different concentrations previously standardized by our group: 10 and 90 mg/kg (P10 and P90, respectively)
Little is known about propolis effects on diabetes mellitus
Summary
Propolis is a resinous material collected by bees from buds and plant exudates, which is mixed with products of their salivary glands and wax. After its administration to animals or to humans propolis does not appear to present side effects [2, 3]. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and glycosuria due to absolute or relative insulin deficiency (type 1 and type 2, respectively). Glucose catabolism is normally a major source of energy for cellular process, and in diabetes, energy requirements can be met by drawing on protein and fat reserves. Since in the recent years many works have been carried out aiming to investigate propolis effects in several pathologic conditions, this work evaluated propolis action on diabetic rats, determining glucose and free fatty acids (FFA) levels before and after propolis treatment, as well as water and food intake, urine flow and body weight of the animals
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