Comparison of antioxidant effects of honey, glibenclamide, metformin, and their combinations in the kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2011-01, Vol.12 (1), p.829-843
• Main Authors: Erejuwa, Omotayo Owomofoyon, Sulaiman, Siti Amrah, Wahab, Mohd Suhaimi Ab, Salam, Sirajudeen Kuttulebbai Nainamohammed, Salleh, Md Salzihan Md, Gurtu, Sunil
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Catalase - metabolism; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Drugs; Enzymes; Glucose; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Glutathione Reductase - metabolism; Glyburide - therapeutic use; Honey; Hyperglycemia; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - metabolism; Kidneys; Male; Metformin - therapeutic use; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Pathology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms12010829

Hyperglycemia-induced increase in oxidative stress is implicated in diabetic complications. This study investigated the effect of metformin and/or glibenclamide in combination with honey on antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress markers in the kidneys of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg; intraperitoneal)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats were randomized into eight groups of five to seven rats and received distilled water (0.5 mL); honey (1.0 g/kg); metformin (100 mg/kg); metformin (100 mg/kg) and honey (1.0 g/kg); glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg); glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg) and honey (1.0 g/kg); metformin (100 mg/kg) and glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg); or metformin (100 mg/kg), glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg) and honey (1.0 g/kg) orally once daily for four weeks. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly elevated while catalase (CAT) activity, total antioxidant status (TAS), reduced glutathione (GSH), and GSH:oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio was significantly reduced in the diabetic kidneys. CAT, glutathione reductase (GR), TAS, and GSH remained significantly reduced in the diabetic rats treated with metformin and/or glibenclamide. In contrast, metformin or glibenclamide combined with honey significantly increased CAT, GR, TAS, and GSH. These results suggest that combination of honey with metformin or glibenclamide might offer additional antioxidant effect to these drugs. This might reduce oxidative stress-mediated damage in diabetic kidneys.