Protective Effect of Royal Jelly against Phenylhydrazine-induced Small Intestine Injury in Mice: Morphometric Analyses

Background: Phenylhydrazine (PHZ), a well-known hemolytic agent, causes toxicity on various tissues at various levels. The aim of the current study was to examine the possible protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) against PHZ-induced small intestine injuries in mice. Methods & Materials: Adult male mice were randomly assigned to four groups of eight mice each. PHZ was administered to two groups of mice at a dose of 6 mg/100gr per 48 hours intraperitoneally for 35 days. One of these groups received RJ (100 mg/kg per day) orally four hours before PHZ administration. A vehicle-treated control group and a RJ control group were also included. 24 hours after the last treatment, desired segments of small intestines were dissected out and subjected to histological processing. PHZ caused significant decreases in crypts depth of duodenum, distribution rate of the goblet cells in ileal villi, villi width of duodenum and jejunum and height of villi in all segments of small intestine. Results: Co-administration of RJ partially improved all changes in the above-noted parameters. RJ as a free radical scavenger may alleviate PHZ-induced intestinal toxicities in mouse.

Royal Jelly, Phenylhydrazine, Small intestine, Mouse