Ameliorative Effects of Monofloral Cistus Creticus Bee Pollen on the Oxidant-Antioxidant Systems in Streptozotocin-İnduced nduced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of Cistus creticus bee pollen (CCP) on oxidative stress and metabolic changes in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Twenty-eight healthy male Wistar rats were split into four groups: control (C), CCP-treated C (C+CCP), diabetes (D), and CCP-treated D (D+CCP) groups. To induce diabetes in rats, a single dose intraperitoneal injection of STZ (65 mg/kg) was administered. CCP (350 mg/kg/day) was applied to the drinking water of the rats for four weeks after diabetes was established. Serum glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were evaluated by an autoanalyzer. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in both plasma and tissues (heart, kidney, liver, and skeletal muscle) were by spectrophotometric method. Commercial kits were used to detect serum paraoxonase (PON), arylesterase (ARE), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and blood glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activities. In the D+CCP group, serum glucose, TC, and TG levels decreased, and insulin levels increased significantly (p< 0.05). In the groups designated as C+CCP and D+CCP, the study revealed a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma, kidney, liver, and muscle tissues, alongside a significant increase in serum paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) enzyme activities (p< 0.05). These findings support our hypothesis that CCP strengthens the antioxidant system and improves oxidative stress and metabolic chaos in diabetes. In conclusion, our study suggests a potential benefit of CCP as a therapeutic and/or adjunctive agent that improves diabetes mellitus and its related complications.