In vivo activity assessment of a "honey-bee pollen mix" formulation

Pharm Biol. 2010 Mar;48(3):253-9. doi: 10.3109/13880200903085482.

Abstract

Honey-bee pollen mix (HBM) formulation is claimed to be effective for the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, cancers, peptic ulcers, colitis, various types of infections including hepatitis B, and rheumatism by the herb dealers in northeast Turkey. In the present study, in vivo antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective and antioxidant effects of pure honey and HBM formulation were evaluated comparatively. HBM did not show any significant gastroprotective activity in a single administration at 250 mg/kg dose, whereas a weak activity was observed after three days of successive administration at 500 mg/kg dose. On the other hand, HBM displayed significant antinociceptive (p <0.01) and anti-inflammatory (p <0.01) activities at 500 mg/kg dose orally without inducing any apparent acute toxicity or gastric damage. HBM was also shown to possess potent antilipidperoxidant activity (p <0.01) at 500 mg/kg dose against acetaminophen-induced liver necrosis model in mice. On the other hand, pure honey did not exert any remarkable antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective activity, but a potent antilipidperoxidant activity (p <0.01) was determined. Results have clearly proved that mixing pure honey with bee pollen significantly increased the healing potential of honey and provided additional support for its traditional use. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of HBM were found to be 145 and 59.3 mg/100 g of honey, which were estimated as gallic acid and quercetin equivalents, respectively.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / adverse effects
  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / adverse effects
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Ulcer Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Ulcer Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / adverse effects
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Apitherapy / adverse effects
  • Apitherapy / methods*
  • Bees*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Flavonoids / analysis
  • Honey* / analysis
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Necrosis / chemically induced
  • Necrosis / prevention & control
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Pollen* / chemistry
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Turkey

Substances

  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Anti-Ulcer Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Flavonoids
  • Phenols