Basic Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Exp Med. Sep 20, 2025; 15(3): 99330
Published online Sep 20, 2025. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v15.i3.99330
Effect of propolis and honey in hyperglycemia-induced kidney and liver injuries, proteinuria, and oxidant and antioxidant parameters
Soumaya Touzani, Noori Al-Waili, Hassan Laaroussi, Abderrazak Aboulghazi, Nawal Hamas, Hamada Imtara, Asmae El Ghouizi, Ilham ElArabi, Ahmed Al-Waili, Badiaa Lyoussi
Soumaya Touzani, Laboratory of Mini-Invasive Surgery, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Educational Innovations, Faculty of Medicine Pharmacy and Dentistry, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez 30000, Morocco
Noori Al-Waili, Ahmed Al-Waili, Clinical Nephrology, New York Medical Care for Nephrology, Queens, NY 11418, United States
Hassan Laaroussi, Abderrazak Aboulghazi, Asmae El Ghouizi, Ilham ElArabi, Badiaa Lyoussi, Laboratory of Natural Substances Pharmacology Environment Modeling Health and Quality of Life, Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez 30000, Morocco
Nawal Hamas, Department of Pathology, University Hospital Hassan II, Fez 30000, Morocco
Hamada Imtara, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Arab American University, Ramallah, Palestine
Co-corresponding authors: Soumaya Touzani and Noori Al-Waili.
Author contributions: Touzani S, HL, Aboulghazi A, Hamas N, Imtara H, El Ghouizi A, ElArabi I, Lyoussi B designed the experimental protocols and participated in the experimental work; Touzani S wrote part of the paper; Al-Waili N analyzed the data and results, wrote the main manuscript text, and submitted the manuscript for publication; Al-Waili A did the statistical analysis and collected data; All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: The present work was designed under ethical approval number (USMBA-SNAMOPEQ 2017-03), certified by Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, under the responsibility of the Animal Facility and the Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life. The manipulation of animals respected the EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments to avoid and minimize animal suffering and the number of animals experimented.
Conflict-of-interest statement: There is no conflict of interest to be declared.
ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE guidelines.
Data sharing statement: All the data are available in the manuscript
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Noori Al-Waili, Chairman, MD, PhD, Clinical Nephrology, New York Medical Care for Nephrology, 87-40 134 Street, Queens, NY 11418, United States. noori786@yahoo.com
Received: July 19, 2024
Revised: February 24, 2025
Accepted: June 18, 2025
Published online: September 20, 2025
Processing time: 388 Days and 15.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Propolis and honey are known for their antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and antiproteinuric effects.

AIM

To explore the effect of propolis, and honey, against D-glucose-induced hyperglycemia, acute kidney injury (AKI), liver injury, dyslipidemia, and changes in the oxidants and antioxidants in renal, hepatic, and pancreatic tissues.

METHODS

The chemical analysis and antioxidant content of propolis and honey and their effect on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase activity were studied. The study included five groups of male rats; four groups (2, 3, 4 and 5) were treated with D-glucose, and one group was untreated, group 1. In addition to D-glucose, groups 3, 4, and 5 were treated with propolis, honey, and their combination, respectively. Blood glucose levels, liver and renal function tests, urine protein and electrolytes, oxidant and antioxidant parameters, and histopathological changes in hepatic, renal, and pancreatic tissues were examined.

RESULTS

Propolis contains a higher level of total protein and exhibits a higher antioxidant activity. Honey has a higher alpha-amylase and glucosidase inhibitory activity than propolis. D-glucose caused a significant elevation of blood glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment, blood urea, creatinine, lipid parameters, liver enzymes, and urine protein levels. It significantly increases malondialdehyde and decreases antioxidant parameters in pancreatic, hepatic, and renal tissues. D-glucose caused histopathological changes in hepatic, renal, and pancreatic tissues; these changes were significantly ameliorated by honey and propolis.

CONCLUSION

Propolis, honey, or their combination treated hyperglycemia, AKI, proteinuria, liver injury, and dyslipidemia induced by D-glucose, most likely, through their antioxidant activity and alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity. This will pave the way for testing this natural combination in the prevention of diabetic complications, as a complement to basic therapies.

Keywords: Honey; Propolis; D-glucose; Antioxidant; Diabetes; Kidney; Liver; Pancreas

Core Tip: Diabetes is a prevalent condition , and hyperglycemia significantly impacts the antioxidant system and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. In this experimental study, the combination of Moroccan propolis and honey prevented D-glucose induced hyperglycemia, acute kidney injury, proteinuria, liver injury, and dyslipidemia in murine model, suggesting a synergistic effect most likely through their hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities.