Effect of Supplementation of Acacia Honey and Pioglitazone on Blood Glucose Levels in Streptozotocin-Induced Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Objective: To determine the effect of combined supplementation of Pioglitazone and Acacia Honey on blood glucose levels in Streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats. Study Design: Laboratory-based animal study. Place and Duration of study: Al-Nafees Medical College, in collaboration with the National Institute of Health, Islamabad Pakistan, from Jan 2016 to Jun 2017. Methodology: The study was conducted on 150 male Sprague Dawley rats, divided into five groups with 30 rats. Group-I was the control Group. Groups II-V were given Streptozotocin 65 mg Streptozotocin intraperitoneally to make them diabetic. Group II was diabetic control. Group-III was given acacia honey for three weeks. Group-IV received an intraperitoneal injection of Pioglitazone (oral hypoglycemic) 15 mg/kg body weight per day plus Acacia honey, and Group-V was given Pioglitazone intraperitoneally for the same dose and duration. Fasting blood glucose levels were measured after three weeks of supplementation. Results: After three weeks of supplementation, the blood glucose levels were significantly (p-value <0.001) lower in all Groups (Group- III: 228.33±40.60 mg/dl, Group-IV: 132.50±22.67 mg/dl and Group- V: 120.73±14.19 mg/dl) as compared to Group-II (Diabetic Controls) (290.13±52.60 mg/dl). Conclusion: Combined supplementation of Acacia honey and Pioglitazone reduces blood glucose levels in Streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats.