Inhibitory effects of Nigerian sweet and bitter honey on pancreatic alpha amylase activity

Abstract

Background: Nigeria has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Sub - Saharan Africa. The relative contraindications associated with conventional oral hypoglycemic drugs demand the search for nutraceuticals as ideal alternatives.
Objective: In this study, we aimed at elucidating possible antiglycemic properties of Nigerian sweet and bitter honey from Apis Mellifera Andasonii through the pathway of alpha amylase inhibition.
Method: The pH of the honey samples was determined using a digital pH meter (pHs-2F, Harris, England). Standard assay methods using 3, 5 - dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) was used to analyse alpha amylase activity invitro. The honey concentration which inhibited 50% alpha amylase activity (IC ) was 50 determined using the dose response curve. Data were analysed using student t-test on graph pad prism 6.1.
Result: The sweet and bitter honey samples exhibited low pH values of 3.30 and 3.38 respectively. The dose dependent inhibition of alpha amylase activity was significantly (p<0.05) higher in sweet honey (94.73% at 1 mg/mL) than in bitter honey (92.06% at 1 mg/mL) with IC values of 0.157 ± 50 0.023 mg/mL and 0.255 ± 0.049 mg/mL respectively.
Conclusion: Both sweet and bitter honey varieties used for this study are potential new sources of alpha amylase inhibitor. They can be appraised as novel indigenous functional foods for regulating postprandial hyperglycemia.