Abrogation of Acute Inflammation in ICR Mice with Topical Administration of Philippine Stingless Bee (Tetragonula biroi Friese) Honey

Background: Honey, a sweet sugar-rich bee-derived product, has been widely recognized in the realm of Ayurveda and Pharmacognosy for the treatment of various inflammatory conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, arthritis, and gastric ulcer. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of Philippine honey obtained from local stingless bees remains unexplored and poorly investigated. Hence, this study delved on the anti-inflammatory potential of topically applied Philippine stingless bee honey (PSH) using the lambda-Carrageenan-induced mouse model of paw edema. Materials and Methods: A total of 30, male ICR mice of six weeks of age were randomly divided into the following groups (n=10 per group) as follows: Distilled water-, 1% Diclofenac sodium, and Honey-treated group. All treatments were administered immediately after Carrageenan injection and then every 8 hr during the 24-hr test duration. Results: Repeated topical application of PSH significantly attenuated the gross hind paw swelling observed at the onset of the 6 hr post-induction (pi) until the 24 hr pi with Carrageenan in contrast to the Distilled water-treated group. This corresponded histologically to a marked reduction in dermal thickness, dermal edema, and leukocytic infiltration. Whereas, at the cytokine level, this correlated to significant suppression of the circulating blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6. Conclusion: Based on these results, honey from the Philippine stingless bees shows convincing anti-inflammatory activity which is partly mediated through the regulation of the expression of inflammation-associated cytokines.