Bee bread (Perga) modulates serum thiol/disulfide homeostasis and oxidative stress in obese mice

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of bee bread (BB) supplementation on thiol/disulfide homeostasis in an experimental obesity model and to investigate its potential as a functional dietary intervention against obesity-induced oxidative stress(OS). Methods: An experimental obesity model was established in male C57BL/6 mice, and the animals were divided into control, obesity, BB1 (250 mg/kg), and BB2 (500 mg/kg) groups. Following the intervention, native thiol, total thiol, disulfide levels, and thiol oxidation-reduction ratios (TOR) were measured. Results: Native thiol and total thiol levels were significantly lower in the obesity group compared to the control group (p<0.001), indicating reduced antioxidant capacity. Disulfide levels, oxidized thiol ratio (OT), and thiol oxidation ratio (TOR) were significantly higher in the obesity group (p=0.008, p=0.005, and p=0.005, respectively), reflecting an increased state of OS. Notably, BB supplementation at a dose of 500 mg/kg (BB2) resulted in a significant reduction in disulfide levels (p=0.008) and an improvement in redox balance. This was supported by increased reduced thiol ratios and decreased OT values. Conclusion: Bee bread supplementation partially restored thiol/disulfide homeostasis disrupted by obesity and demonstrated antioxidant effects likely attributed to its rich phenolic and flavonoid content. These findings suggest that BB may serve as a promising natural product in the management of obesity-related OS disorders and contribute novel insights into the use of functional apitherapy in obesity treatment.