Effects of Tualang Honey on Pain Behaviour and Oxidative Stress in the Thalamus of Prenatally Stressed Rat Offspring

ABSTRACT

@#Introduction: Increased nociceptive responses were shown in the offspring of prenatally stressed rats. Reports have demonstrated the anti-nociceptive effects of Tualang honey in the rat offspring. The present study was done to determine whether the modulation of nociceptive behaviour by Tualang honey was mediated by modulating changes in the histology, oxidative stress parameters and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the thalamus of the rat offspring. Methods: Eighteen Sprague Dawley pregnant rats were randomly assigned to control (C), stress (S) and stress-treated with Tualang honey (SH) groups. Stress was given in a form of restraint stress.Tualang honey was given to SH group from first day of pregnancy until delivery. Thirty-three adult male offspring were subjected to formalin test before they were sacrificed. Nociceptive behaviour score, number of neurons, level of oxidative stress parameters and NMDA receptors in the thalamus were analysed by using one-way ANOVA. Results: The study demonstrated a significant decrease in mean nociceptive behaviour score (p<0.05) with lower malondialdehyde (MDA, p<0.05) and higher superoxide dismutase SOD and catalase levels in the thalamus of SH group compared to S group (p<0.05). There was also increased Nissl positive neurons in the thalamus of SH group compared to S group. There was no significant difference in NMDA receptor level between S and SH groups. Conclusion: The modulation of nociceptive responses in the prenatally stressed rat offspring by Tualang honey was associated with improvement in oxidative stress parameters and histology of the thalamus in the rat offspring exposed to prenatal stress.