Prolonged preconditioning with natural honey against myocardial infarction injuries

Potential protective effects of prolonged preconditioning with natural honey against myocardial infarction were investigated. Male Wistar rats were pre-treated with honey [1%, 2% and 4%] for 45 days then their hearts were isolated and mounted on a Langendorff apparatus and perfused with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution during 30 min regional ischemia fallowed by 120 min reperfusion. Two important indexes of ischemia-induced damage [infarction size and arrhythmias] were determined by computerized planimetry and ECG analysis, respectively. Honey [1% and 2%] reduced infarct size from 23 +/- 3.1% [control] to 9.7 +/- 2.4 and 9.5 +/- 2.3%, respectively [P<0.001]. At the ischemia, honey [1%] significantly reduced [P<0.05] the number and duration of ventricular tachycardia [VT]. Honey [1% and 2%] also significantly decreased number of ventricular ectopic beats [VEBs]. In addition, incidence and duration of reversible ventricular fibrillation [Rev VF] were lowered by honey 2% [P<0.05]. During reperfusion, honey produced significant reduction in the incidences of VT, total and Rev VF, duration and number of VT. The results showed cardioprotective effects of prolonged pre-treatment of rats with honey following myocardial infarction. Maybe, the existence of antioxidants and energy sources [glucose and fructose] in honey composition and improvement of hemodynamic functions may involve in those protective effects

Effects of chronic oral administration of natural honey on ischemia/reperfusion-induced arrhythmias in isolated rat heart

In this study, effects of chronic administration of oral natural honey against ischemia/reperfusion [I/R]-induced cardiac arrhythmias were investigated in isolated rat heart. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups [n= 10-14 rats in each group] and fed with natural honey [1%, 2% and 4% dissolved in the drinking water] for 45 days except for the control group. After anesthesia, the rats' hearts were isolated quickly, mounted on a Langendorff apparatus and perfused with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution during stabilization, 30 min regional ischemia followed by 30 min reperfusion. The ECGs were recorded throughout the experiments to analyze cardiac arrhythmias based on the Lambeth conventions In the ischemic phase, honey [1%] significantly reduced [P<0.05] the number and duration of ventricular tachycardia [VT]. Honey [1% and 2%] also significantly decreased number of ventricular ectopic beats [VEBs]. In addition, incidence and duration of reversible ventricular fibrillation [Rev VF] were lowered by honey 2% [P<0.05]. During reperfusion time, VT incidence was 73% in the control group, however natural honey [1%] decreased it to 22% [P<0.05]. Honey also produced significant reduction in the incidences of total VF, Rev VF, duration and number of VT. For the first time, the results of present study demonstrated protective effects of chronic oral honey administration against I/R-induced arrhythmias in isolated rat heart. Antioxidant activity, the existence of energy sources such as glucose and fructose and improvement of some hemodynamic functions might be responsible for these effects

impact of gender on the inflammatory parameters and angiogenesis in the rat air pouch model of inflammation

Air pouch is a well-established inflammatory model in which fluid extravasations; leukocyte migration, angiogenesis and other parameters involved in the inflammatory response can be measured. In this study, the influence of gender on inflammatory parameters has been examined in the air pouch model. To induce air pouch, adult male and female Wistar rats were anesthetized, then 20 ml and 10 ml of sterile air were injected subcutaneously on the back on day 0 and day 3, respectively. On day 6, inflammation was induced by injection of 1 ml of carrageenan 1% into pouches. After 6 and 72 hr, the rats were sacrificed, pouch fluid was collected in order to determine exudates volume and the accumulated cells were counted using a hemocytometer. Pouches were dissected out and weighed. Angiogenesis of granulomatous tissue was assayed using hemoglobin kit. Analysis of our data demonstrated a sexually dimorphic pattern in inflammation parameters both in acute and chronic forms [P<0.05]. The value of angiogenesis in the air pouch model in male rat was higher than that female rats [P<0.001]. The degree of inflammation and angiogenesis induced in Wistar rat air pouch model is gender-dependent, suggesting that gender may be a key consideration in the design of inflammation experiments