Researchers consistently find propolis to be an important protector for liver diseases and this again shows how it protects from the negative effects of medication. The best part is that taking a daily dose of propolis (250-500mg) has no negative effects on any aspect of human health...
Effect of
Croatian Propolis on Diabetic Nephropathy and Liver Toxicity in Mice
BMCComplementary and Alternative Medicine, August 2012
Background
In the
present study, we examined the antioxidant effect of water soluble derivative
of propolis (WSDP) and ethanolic (EEP) extract of propolis on renal and liver
function in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. In addition, we examined whether
different extract of propolis could prevent diabetic nephropathy and liver
toxicity by inhibiting lipid peroxidation in vivo.
Methods
Diabetes
was induced in Swiss albino mice with a single intravenous injection of alloxan
(75 mg kg-1). Two days after alloxan injection, propolis preparations (50 mg
kg-1 per day) were given intraperitoneally for 7 days in diabetic mice.
Survival analysis and body weights as well as hematological and biochemical
parameters were measured. The renal and liver oxidative stress marker
malonaldehyde levels and histopathological changes were monitored in the liver
and kidney of treated and control mice.
Results
Administration
of propolis to diabetic mice resulted in a significant increase of body weight,
haematological and immunological parameters of blood as well as 100% survival
of diabetic mice. Alloxan-injected mice showed a marked increase in oxidative
stress in liver and kidney homogenate, as determined by lipid peroxidation.
Histopathological observation of the liver sections of alloxan-induced diabetic
mice showed several lesions including cellular vacuolization, cytoplasmic eosinophilia
and lymphocyte infiltrations, but with individual variability.Treatment of
diabetic mice with propolis extracts results in decreased number of vacuolized
cells and degree of vacuolization; propolis treatment improve the impairment of
fatty acid metabolism in diabetes. Renal histology showed corpuscular, tubular
and interstitial changes in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Test components did
not improve renal histopathology in diabetic mice.
Conclusions
Propolis
preparations are able to attenuate diabetic hepatorenal damage, probably
through its anti-oxidative action and its detoxification proccess as well as
the potential to minimize the deleterious effects of free radicals on tissue.
The protective role of propolis against the ROS induced damages in diabetic
mice gives a hope that they may have similar protective action in humans.