ABSTRACT
For centuries honey has been regarded as wonderful gift of nature in which the properties of an excellent food, beneficial alike to adults and children, are combined with medicinal properties. Surprisingly, its sub-acute effect on coagulation is unknown. Hence; this present study aims at evaluating the effects of raw honey on coagulation in albino wistar rats. Thirty (30), 3-4 months old albino wistar rats both males and females were used for the study. The experimental animals were divided into five (A, B,C, D, E) groups with six rats per group. The test groups (B-E) were gavaged with graded doses (625, 1250, 2500, 5000mg/kg body weight) respectively of the raw honey once daily for nine days. Group A served as control. Two (2) animals were bled from each group after 3, 6 and 9 days through the ocular plexus. Four (4) ml of venous blood was collected. Two (2) ml was delivered into 0.25ml trisodium citrate anticoagulant bottle for determination of Prothrombin Time (PT) and Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT). The remaining two (2) ml was delivered into K3EDTA anticoagulant bottle for platelet value determination. There was no statistical significant difference (P > 0.05) recorded in all the parameters investigated among the test groups when compared with the control group on Day 3. However, group B revealed a statistical significant decrease (P < 0.05) in PT when compared with the control group on Day 6. In addition, no statistical significant difference (P>0.05) was recorded on Day 9 when all the parameters investigated among the test groups were compared with the control group. Furthermore, there was no exposure related statistical significant difference (P>0.05) in the test groups in PT and APTT in the ANOVA. However, there was a time related significant difference (P<0.05) in platelet value of group C when Days 3, 6 and 9 were compared. It can be concluded that raw honey possesses a sub-acute coagulation stimulatory potentials which is likely to be dose and duration related.