The protective effects of insulin and natural honey against hippocampal cell death in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

We investigated the effects of insulin and honey as antioxidants to prevent the hippocampal cell death in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. we selected sixty wister rats (5 groups of 12 animals each),including the control group (c),and four diabetic groups (control (d) and 3 groups treated with insulin (i),honey (h),and insulin plus honey (i + h)). diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection (ip,60 mg/kg). six weeks after the induction of diabetes,the group i received insulin (3-4 u/kg/day,sc),group h received honey (5 mg/kg/day,ip),and group i + h received a combination of the above at the same dose. groups c and d received normal saline. two weeks after treatment,rats were sacrificed and the hippocampus was extracted. neuronal cell death in the hippocampal region was examined using trypan blue assay,h & e staining,and tunel assay. cell viability assessment showed significantly lower number of living cells in group d than in group c. besides,the mean number of living cells was significantly higher in group i,h,and i + h compared to group d. therefore,it can be concluded that the treatment of the diabetic rats with insulin,honey,and a combination of insulin and honey can prevent neuronal cell death in different hippocampal areas of the studied samples. © 2014 iraj jafari anarkooli et al.