RESUMO
IBD is a chronic relapsing and nonspecific disorder characterized by colonic mucosal disruption and ulceration. Drugs currently used to manage IBD have potentially serious side effects that limit their use. Developing new drug treatment is, therefore, an important goal in treating IBD. Honey has known wound healing, antimicrobial and even antitumouricidal properties, hence, it could represent an alternate, safer treatment for IBD. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential therapeutic role of honey in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. After the induction of colitis with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid [TNBS] in rats, physiological saline, honey or prednisolone enemas were applied to the rats once daily for 3 days [short-term treatment groups, acute colitis model] or 14 days [long-term treatment groups, chronic colitis model]. Control groups received only ethanol [the solvent of TNBS] and saline enemas. Rats were killed on the 4[th] or 15[th] days and colonic mucosal damage was assessed histologically, histochemically [goblet cell area% in Alcian blue-stained sections] and immunohistochemically [COX-2 immunostaining]. Histological evaluation of colon specimens revealed that prednisolone was superior to honey in the short-term model. However, in the long-term model honey appeared to be more effective treatment than prednisolone as it had stronger effects on inflammation. Honey significantly attenuated the damage score, corrected the disturbances in morphology associated to TNBS-induced colitis and significantly increased the amount of mucous stained by Alcian blue, but it did not affect mucosal mast cell numbers. Immunohistochemical results showed that short-term therapy with either honey or prednisolone, did not reduce the upregulated COX-2 immunoreactivity associated to TNBS administration, however, long-term treatment with honey markedly reduced COX-2 expression in the colon mucosa compared with prednisolone. Long-term intrarectal administration of honey appeared to be as effective method of treatment as prednisolone, in an experimental model of chronic colitis simulating human IBD