Received: May 27, 2008.

Accepted: June 30, 2008.

Abstract published online: July 14, 2008.

Full paper published online: February 28, 2009.

PROPOLIS EFFECT ON STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Sartori DRS (1), Kawakami CL (1), Orsatti CL (2), Sforcin JM (2)

(1) Department of Physiology, Botucatu Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil; (2) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Botucatu Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Propolis is one of the hive products that has been used extensively in folk medicine, due to its several biological and pharmacological properties. Besides, propolis-containing products have been intensely marketed by the pharmaceutical industry and health-food stores. This work was carried out in order to investigate whether propolis treatment could revert the metabolic alterations of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Animals were kept in metabolic cages and diabetes was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg, IV). After a week, rats with glycemia higher than 230 mg/dL were divided into two groups and treated with ethanolic extract of propolis (10 and 90 mg/kg, PO) for seven days. Glycemia and free fatty acids were determined, as well as food and water intake, body weight and urine volume were registered weekly. Data showed no significant differences in the analyzed variables. Based on these results, one may conclude that propolis had no effects after diabetes establishment, in our conditions assays. Further assays with different concentrations of propolis and periods of administration should be carried out in order to evaluate its therapeutic potential in this disease.

KEY WORDS: Brazilian propolis, diabetes, glucose, free fatty acids.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

JOSÉ MAURÍCIO SFORCIN, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, 18618-000, Brasil. Fax: +55 14 3815-3744. Email: sforcin@ibb.unesp.br.