EFFECT OF HONEY BEE ON SOME ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES AND LIPID PROFILE IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC MALE ALBINO RATS

Abstract

The present study investigates the effect of administration of honey bee on serum antioxidant enzymes "catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)" and lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic male albino rats. Eighty four male albino rats weighting 150±20g were divided into six groups as follows: control group (freely supplemented with standard diet), coconut oil treated group (0.5 ml daily), cholesterol treated group (400 mg/kg b.w dissolved in 0.5 ml coconut oil), honey treated group (1 ml/rat of 20% honey bee), cholesterol and honey treated group and cholesterol before honey treated group. All treatments were by oral administration for two months. The results showed that, after one and two months coconut oil treated group showed significant increases in catalase and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and significant decrease in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), while GPx significantly increased after two months. Treatment with cholesterol for one and two months caused significant decreases in antioxidant enzymes and significant increases in total cholesterol "TC" and LDL-C, while total lipid (TL), triglyceride (TG) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) were significantly increased after two months. After one and two months, honey bee treated group showed significant increases in antioxidant enzymes and HDL-C and significant decreases in TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C, while TL was significantly decreased after two months. After one and two months, cholesterol and honey and cholesterol before honey treated groups showed non significant changes in antioxidant enzymes while these groups showed significant increases and decreases in HDL-C and LDL-C respectively. These results indicated that honey administration with or after cholesterol treatment acted for ameliorating the disturbances in antioxidant enzymes and lipid profile that induced by hypercholesterolemia. Honey bee administration for two months is more effective than one month in return of most measured parameters to about control values.
Key words: honey bee, hypercholesterolemia, antioxidant enzymes, lipid profile.