Malicia honey (Mimosa quadrivalvis L.) produced by the jandaíra bee (Melipona subnitida D.) improves depressive-like behaviour, somatic, biochemical and inflammatory parameters of obese rats

• Published in: Food research international 2023-02, Vol.164, p.112391-112391, Article 112391
• Main Authors: Luiza Rolim Bezerra, Maria, Gouveia-Nhanca, Mirela, D' Angelo da Silva Andrade, Artur, Oliveira Pinheiro, Rafael, Francisco Alves, Adriano, Carolina de Paiva Sousa, Maria, dos Santos Lima, Marcos, Magnani, Marciane, de Souza Aquino, Jailane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-depressant; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-obesity; Bees; Cafeteria diet; Glucose; Honey; Insulin; Male; Mimosa; NF-kappa B; NF-kB; Obesity; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Stingless bees
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.112391

[Display omitted] •Malicia honey (MH) has procyanidin B1 and B2, epicatechin, naringenin, and others.•MH reduced body mass index and thoracic circumference in rats fed cafeteria diet.•MH improved lipid profile, leptin, and serum inflammatory parameters.•MH ameliorated insulin, HOMA-β, and glucose tolerance in obese rats.•MH reversed cortex damages via NF-κB and depressive-like behaviour in obese rats. Malícia honey produced by the jandaíra bee has hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects and antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo, which makes it potential adjuvant treatment for obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of malícia honey on somatic and biochemical parameters, depressive-like behaviour and anti-inflammatory activity in obese rats. A total of 40 adult male Wistar rats were initially randomized into a healthy group (HG, n = 20) that consumed a control diet, and an obese group (OG, n = 20) which consumed a cafeteria diet for eight weeks. Then, they were subdivided into four groups: healthy (HG, n = 10); healthy treated with malícia honey (HGH, n = 10); obese (OG, n = 10); and obese treated with malícia honey (OGH, n = 10), maintaining their diets for another eight weeks. The HGH and OGH groups received malícia honey (1000 mg/kg body weight) via gavage. Food intake was monitored daily and body weight was monitored weekly. Biochemical tests related to obesity and glucose and insulin tolerance test, somatic parameters, histological parameters and quantification of NF-κB in the brain were performed. Treatment with malícia honey improved depressive-like behaviour, reduced weight (14 %), body mass index (6 %), and improved lipid profile, leptin, insulin, HOMA-β, and glucose and insulin tolerance in obese rats. It also decreased NF-κB (58.08 %) in the brain. Malícia honey demonstrated anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects, and reversed changes in obesity-induced depressive-like behaviour.