The protective effects of insulin and natural honey against hippocampal cell death in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

J Diabetes Res. 2014:2014:491571. doi: 10.1155/2014/491571. Epub 2014 Mar 13.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of insulin and honey as antioxidants to prevent the hippocampal cell death in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. We selected sixty Wister rats (5 groups of 12 animals each), including the control group (C), and four diabetic groups (control (D) and 3 groups treated with insulin (I), honey (H), and insulin plus honey (I + H)). Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection (IP, 60 mg/kg). Six weeks after the induction of diabetes, the group I received insulin (3-4 U/kg/day, SC), group H received honey (5 mg/kg/day, IP), and group I + H received a combination of the above at the same dose. Groups C and D received normal saline. Two weeks after treatment, rats were sacrificed and the hippocampus was extracted. Neuronal cell death in the hippocampal region was examined using trypan blue assay, "H & E" staining, and TUNEL assay. Cell viability assessment showed significantly lower number of living cells in group D than in group C. Besides, the mean number of living cells was significantly higher in group I, H, and I + H compared to group D. Therefore, it can be concluded that the treatment of the diabetic rats with insulin, honey, and a combination of insulin and honey can prevent neuronal cell death in different hippocampal areas of the studied samples.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Apitherapy*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / pathology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / therapy*
  • Food, Organic
  • Hippocampus / drug effects*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Honey*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Injections, Intraperitoneal
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Insulin, Isophane / administration & dosage
  • Insulin, Isophane / therapeutic use*
  • Iran
  • Male
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Neuroprotective Agents / administration & dosage
  • Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Streptozocin

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Insulin, Isophane
  • Streptozocin