The protective role of honey bee products against the genotoxic effects of endoxan in male mice

Abstract

In the present work a study has been made to evaluate the protective role of a mixture of honey bee products (honey, royal jelly and pollen grains) against the genotoxicity induced by the anticancer drug cyclophosphamide (CP) in male mice. The study included different mutagenic end points: The detection of chromosomal aberrations in mice bone marrow cells, morphological sperm abnormalities, liver DNA fragmentation and histopathological alterations induced in liver cells. The results indicated that i.p. treatment with cyclophosphamide (20 mg/kg b.wt.) induced genotoxic effect in male mice as indicated by significant increasing in chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow cells, morphological sperm abnormalities and liver DNA fragmentation. Cyclophosphamide also induced histopathological changes in liver cells. The results also demonstrated that oral administration of a mixture of honey bee, royal jelly and pollen grains for different periods of time prior to cyclophosphamide administration reduced the CP-induced genotoxicity and histopathological changes. The results indicated that honey bee mixture can be used as chemopreventive agent for minimizing the genotoxic effect of mutagens and carcinogens and open the field for its use in many applications.

Keywords: cyclophosphamide, genotoxicity, chromosomal aberration, sperm abnormalities, DNA fragmentation, liver cells, honey bee, royal jelly, pollen grains.