Biomedical Research

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease associated with hyperglycaemia and loss of body weight. Brazilian propolis is shown to have hypoglycaemic effect in diabetic rats. However, the role of Malaysian propolis on food intake, body weight gain and fasting blood glucose in diabetes has yet been reported. We aimed to determine the phytochemical compounds in ethanol extract of Malaysian propolis (EEP) and its hypoglycaemic effect on diabetic rats. Thirty female rats were randomly assigned into five groups (n= 6/group): Non-DM (non-diabetes on distilled water 1 ml/day), DM (diabetes on distilled water 1 ml/day), DM+300EEP (diabetes on 300 mg/ kg/day EEP), DM+600EEP (diabetes on 600 mg/kg/day EEP) and DM+metformin (diabetes on metformin 100 mg/kg/day) groups. DM was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and treatments were given by oral gavage for four weeks. There were 36 volatile phytochemicals compounds identified in EEP using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Total food intake and fasting blood glucose were significantly higher while body weight gain was significantly lower in DM group compared to Non-DM group. DM+600EEP group had significantly lower total food intake compared to DM group. Significantly higher body weight gain and lower fasting blood glucose were found in DM+300EEP, DM+600EEP and DM+metformin groups compared to DM group. In conclusion, the GC-MS analysis of EEP revealed 36 volatile phytochemical compounds. EEP significantly reduced fasting blood glucose level and total food intake, and increased body weight gain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic female rats.

Author(s): Umar Zayyanu Usman, Ainul Bahiyah Abu Bakar, Mahaneem Mohamed
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