Positive effects of dietary honey and aflatoxin B1 on serum enzymes, superoxide dismutase activity, β-glucuronidase enzyme activity, and colonic probiotic bacteria on rats

Abstract

Dietary honey as a natural product can attenuate the inflammatory process and prevent several diseases. The current research aimed to assess some positive effects of dietary honey and aflatoxin B1 on serum enzymes, superoxide dismutase activity, β-glucuronidase enzyme activity, and colonic probiotic bacteria in rats. Four kinds of honey were coded as NSH, MOH, SIH, and PUH for Nigella sativa, moringa, pumpkin, and Sidr honey, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was daily administered orally for rats with a dose of 200 μg/kg until 90 days. The rat groups’ body weights at the beginning and end of the experiment ranged from 311.29 g to 327.55 g, and 302.97 g to 342.77 g respectively. Dietary honey decreased the values of some serum enzymes and protected the animals from AFB1 hepatotoxicity compared with the positive group (+). The concentrations of liver superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) among rat groups ranged from 19.55 u ·g in MOH+AFB1 rat group to 27.21 u·g in SIH+AFB1 rat group. Dietary honey was reported to defend the liver against aflatoxins and enhance the gut microflora as β-glucuronidase activity and colonic probiotic bacteria in rats.