Effects of honey on stress-induced ulcers in rats

Abstract EN

The effects of honey on stress-induced ulcers were examined in rats.

Stress was induced by using the Strain and Water Immersion technique (6 hours).

Ulcerincidenceand severity were quantified by an ulcer index.

A hon-ey solution, which consisted of 40 % honey in water, was administered orally in dose volumes of 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14ml / kg,20 min before stress induction in 48 hr-fasting rats.

Control rats received equivalent volumes of a Honey Control Solution (HCS).

The systemic effects of honey on stress induced ulcers were examined by intraperitoneal injection of honey (3.5 ml / kg) 10 min.

before stress induction.

The effect of a honey solution on gastro-intestinal tract motil-ity was examined by using a charcoal meal incorporated with honey or HCS.

Results show that intraluminal honey administration lowers the incidence of stress-induced ulcers by 150 / 0 relative to that of control rats who received sa- line (X2 =3.1, P = .07).

Rats pretreated with a honey solution (3, 5, 7 and 14 rnl / kg) showed a significantly lower ulcer index than HCS-pretreated rats (P < .05).

Incorporation of honey into a charcoal meal lowers OJ.T.

stress-induced hyper motility by 37.80 / 0 of matched control received saline incorporated char- coal meal.

It was concluded that intraluminal administration of honey de- creases the severity of stress-induced ulcers in rats.