Effect of honey on postprandial hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

The role of postprandial hyperglycemia (PPH) has been identified as a contributing factor in the development of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of honey on high glucose-induced PPH in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced in overnight-fasted rats by administering alloxan [150 mg/kg body weight (BW)]. The diabetic rats were administered either drinking water (1 ml/kg BW) or honey (1, 2 or 3 g/kg BW) via oral gavage. Each group consisted of six rats. Prior to the administration of either the drinking water or the honey, the baseline fasting blood glucose (BG) was measured and recorded as BG₀. Subsequently, BG levels (BG₆₀, BG₁₂₀ and BG₁₈₀) were assessed at 60, 120 and 180 minutes, respectively. The estimation of the BG parameters concentration was performed, including the area under the curve (AUC), the peak BG (PBG), the percentage change in BG. The AUC and PBG did not differ between the diabetic groups (regardless of administered agents) and the diabetic control group. Compared with baseline fasting blood glucose (BG₀), the BG₆₀ significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) increased in diabetic rats that received drinking water or honey (2 or 3 g/kg BW) but not in diabetic rats that received 1 g/kg BW of honey. The diabetic rats that received 1 g/kg BW of honey exhibited significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) lower percentage change in BG compared with the diabetic control rats. The study demonstrated that the administration of honey (regardless of dosage) did not exacerbate high glucose-induced PPH in diabetic rats. The study also indicated that a dose of 1 g/kg BW of honey was the most effective dose in suppressing PPH.