Bee Bread Protects Small Intestinal Mucosa and Modulates Local Redox Responses in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

ABSTRACTBee Bread (BB), a fermented bee product rich in antioxidant compounds, exerts protective effects against diabetes-associated smallintestinal damage. This study investigated the effects of BB on small intestinal morphology, mucosal integrity, and antioxidantenzyme activity in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Forty Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups:control, sham (50 mg/kg sodium citrate), diabetes (DM; 50 mg/kg STZ), BB (100 mg/kg), and Diabetes + Bee Bread (DM+BB). After15 days, intestinal tissues were examined using histopathological, immunohistochemical (IHC), and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) analyses. Diabetic rats exhibited hyperglycemia (363.63 ± 14.64 mg/dL vs. 97.25 ± 2.71 mg/dL in controls at day 15; p < 0.001),weight loss, villus elongation, epithelial desquamation, and mucosal disorganization. BB supplementation reduced blood glucoselevels (approximately 15%–16% in the DM+BB group), attenuated weight loss, and preserved small intestinal architecture, withsignificant differences in villus length among groups (p < 0.05). Mn-SOD immunoreactivity showed no significant differencesamong groups (p > 0.05), although redistribution was observed in diabetic tissues. CAT immunoreactivity remained weak andunchanged across groups. SEM analysis confirmed improved villus architecture and preserved goblet cell morphology followingBB treatment. BB attenuated diabetes-induced small intestinal injury and preserved intestinal mucosal architecture, findings thatmay be associated with localized adaptive redox responses.