Toxicological implications of methanol extract from Nigerian Bee propolis on some selected rat tissues

Objectives: The present study investigates the effects of Nigerian bee propolis on some biochemical indices in some selected rat tissues. Methods: A total of Fifteen wistar rats were grouped into 3(A-C) of 5 rats each. Group A rats serve as control groups and received 0.5ml of DMSO, while groups B and C received 300 and 600 ml/kg of methanol extract of honey bee propolis respectively, for 21 days through oral route. Results: The extract significantly increased (p<0.05) the Spleen and small intestine ALT activities, kidney and small intestine AST activities, kidney ALP activities as well as the level of total protein in Liver and spleen of bee propolis treated rats. In contrast, the Liver and spleen AST activities, and liver ALP activities decrease significantly (p<0.05) in bee propolis treated rats when compared with their corresponding controls. However, the spleen and small intestine ALP activities, level of kidney and small intestine total protein as well as ALT activities in the kidney of bee propolis treated rats compared well (p>0.05) with the normal value at the extract doses studied. The computed liver, kidney, and small intestine body weight ratios of rats treated with the extract does not differ(p>0.05) with those of the control rats, however, increase in spleen/body weight in propolis treated rats than the control group was observe. Conclusion: The chronic administration of methanol extracts of bee propolis altered the normal values of some biochemical parameters in rat organs. Clinical application of the bee propolis should therefore be carefully controlled as it chronic administration may be relatively unsafe for the integrity of organs.