Effects of honey supplementation on hydrocarbon-induced kidney and liver damage in wistar albino rats

Abstract

This study investigated the chemoprotective and ameliorative effects of natural honey on nephro-and hepatoxocity induced by gasoline and kerosene in wistar albino rats. Ingestion of gasoline and kerosene contaminated diets significantly (P<0.05) increased serum levels of urea, creatinine, potassium ion (K⁺), total bihrubin, and the activities of serum hepatic marker enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino-transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Conversely, serum levels of sodium ion (Na⁺), chloride ion (Cl^-) and bicarbonate ion (HCO₃) were significantly decreased. However, the concentration of these serum metabolites and the activities of the hepatic marker enzymes, AST, ALT and ALP, in rats exposed to gasoline and kerosene and fed simultaneously with natural honey supplemented diet were close to those obtained in control rats. Rats that were exposed to gasoline and kerosene and later given natural honey supplemented diets after four (4) weeks of gasoline and kerosene exposure did not also differ significantly (P<0.05) in serum metabolite concentration and hepatic enzymes activities as compared to the control rats. These observations suggest that the consumption of natural honey supplemented diet has chemoprotective and ameliorative effects against gasoline and kerosene induced kidney and liver tissue damage.

Keywords: Honey, contaminated diets, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity