Gelam honey inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia in rats through the induction of heme oxygenase-1 and the inhibition of cytokines, nitric oxide, and high-mobility group protein B1

• Published in: Fitoterapia Vol. 83; no. 6; pp. 1054 - 1059
• Main Authors: Kassim, Mustafa, Yusoff, Kamaruddin Mohd, Ong, Gracie, Sekaran, Shamala, Yusof, Mohd Yasim Bin Md, Mansor, Marzida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Administration, Intravenous; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; antibacterial properties; antioxidant activity; Apitherapy; Biological and medical sciences; Cytokines; Cytokines - antagonists & inhibitors; Endotoxemia; Endotoxemia - chemically induced; Endotoxemia - diet therapy; Endotoxemia - metabolism; free radical scavengers; General pharmacology; heme oxygenase (decyclizing); Heme oxygenase-1; Heme Oxygenase-1 - metabolism; High-mobility group box 1; HMGB1 Protein - antagonists & inhibitors; Honey; Interleukin-10 - metabolism; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; intravenous injection; Lipopolysaccharides; Malaysia; Male; Medical sciences; necrosis; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - antagonists & inhibitors; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Honey; High-mobility group box 1; Cytokines; Nitric oxide; Endotoxemia; Heme oxygenase-1; Nuclear protein HMG; Rat; Enzyme; Induction; Pharmacognosy; Rodentia; Cytokine; Heme oxygenase (decyclizing); Medicinal plant; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Plant origin; Lipopolysaccharide; Oxidoreductases
• ISSN: 0367-326X; 1873-6971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2012.05.008

Malaysian Gelam honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, a high antioxidant capacity, and free radical-scavenging activity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates immune cells to sequentially release early pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and induces the synthesis of several related enzymes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the intravenous injection of honey in rats with LPS-induced endotoxemia. The results showed that after 4h of treatment, honey reduced cytokine (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukins 1β, and 10) and NO levels and increased heme oxygenase-1 levels. After 24h, a decrease in cytokines and NO and an increase in HO-1 were seen in all groups, whereas a reduction in HMGB1 occurred only in the honey-treated groups. These results support the further examination of honey as a natural compound for the treatment of a wide range of inflammatory diseases. [Display omitted]