Othman, Zaidatul Akmal
(2022)
Effect of bee bread on cardiovascular changes in obese male rats.
PhD thesis, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Abstract
Obesity and hyperlipidaemia are major risk factors for developing
cardiovascular disease such as cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis. Bee bread has
been reported to contains bioactive compositions and exhibit some biological actions
against oxidative stress, inflammation, as well as apoptosis in renal and testicular
tissues. However, to date, the therapeutic effect of bee bread on cardiovascular
changes in obese rats has not been reported. The objectives of this study therefore
were to determine (1) the mineral, vitamin, and fatty acid contents of bee bread, (2)
the effects of bee bread on obesity and cardiometabolic parameters as well as
obesity-cardiomyopathy progression, (3) the effects of bee bread on endothelial
dysfunction and atherosclerosis progression using obese Sprague Dawley rats. Forty
male rats weighing 180-230 g were divided into two groups i.e., normal diet (Normal
group, n = 10/group) and high-fat diet (HFD group, n = 30). After six weeks, obese
rats in the HFD group were administered either with distilled water (OB group), 0.5
g/kg/day bee bread (OB/BB group), and 10 mg/kg/day orlistat (OB/OR group) for
another six weeks (n = 10/group). Bee bread and orlistat were suspended in 1 mL
distilled water before being administered to the obese rats via oral gavage. At the end
of 12th weeks, the rats were sacrificed to obtain serum, heart, aorta, and adipose
tissues. Bee bread possesses multi-components of minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids.
Bee bread significantly improved obesity and cardiometabolic parameters in obese
rats such as Lee obesity, body mass and adiposity indexes, cardiovascular risk ratios,
lipid profile, and levels of free fatty acid, glucose, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine
kinase for muscle and brain, adiponectin, and leptin. Similarly, bee bread also significantly improved oxidant-antioxidant status, inflammation and apoptosis
markers in the heart and aorta of the obese rats. Bee bread significantly improved
acetylcholine-induced endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation response possibly
through activation of eNOS/NO/cGMP-signaling pathway. Moreover, there was a
significant improvement in the level of fatty acid synthase in the heart and aorta of
obese rats. The findings were further supported by the improvement of obesityrelated
histopathological changes in the heart, aorta and adipose tissues of obese rats
treated with bee bread. The present study indicates that the beneficial effect of bee
bread in treating obesity-related cardiovascular diseases could be through its action
by mediating the antioxidant response, inhibiting the inflammatory cascades as well
as cellular apoptosis in the heart and aorta of obese animal model. However, further
studies are warranted to elucidate the exact molecular mechanisms of action of bee
bread and its safety to be included as a potential adjuvant or alternative treatment in
obese patients.
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