ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC AND IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF HONEY IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC MALE ALBINO RATS
Abstract
Background and objectives: Natural products are investigated as interventions for diabetes-related alterations. This study assessed the antihyperglycemic and in vitro antioxidant potential of honey. Methods: The glucose-lowering effect of honey was investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic male albino rats treated with 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 mL/kg honey for 21 days, with glibenclamide as the standard drug. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was monitored before induction and on Days 3, 7, 14, and 21. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging assays, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC). Results: Alloxan administration increased FBG from approximately 91–92 mg/dL to above 318 mg/dL. Untreated diabetic rats showed progressive hyperglycemia, reaching 358.23±19.74 mg/dL on Day 21. Honey significantly (p<0.05) reduced FBG in a dose-dependent manner. The 0.8 mL/kg dose reduced FBG to 116.42±8.51 mg/dL, approaching the glibenclamide value of 108.56±8.13 mg/dL. Honey showed substantial antioxidant activity, with DPPH and ABTS scavenging capacities of 78.42±2.16% and 81.57±1.94%, respectively, FRAP of 623.45±18.62 µmol Fe²⁺/g, TPC of 68.84±3.25 mg GAE/g, and TFC of 24.37±1.41 mg QE/g. Conclusion: Honey demonstrated significant dose-dependent antihyperglycemic activity and antioxidant capacity, indicating potential as an adjunct for diabetes management. Peer Review History: Received 4 June 2026; Reviewed 7 July 2026; Accepted 2 August; Available online 15 September 2026 Academic Editor: Dr. Asia Selman Abdullah, Pharmacy institute, University of Basrah, Iraq, asia_abdullah65@yahoo.com Reviewers: Dr. Nada Farrag, Misr International University, Egypt, Nada_Hazem87@hotmail.com Dr. Murtaza M. Tambuwala, Ulster University, Ireland, m.tambuwala@ulster.ac.uk