Abstract

The study investigated whether co-administration of coconut water and honey has a synergistic effect on glucose storage, hepatic functions, and oxidative balance. Four groups of male Sprague rats weighing between 150-200g were treated with CW and HON (10mg/kg of body weight) and (5.0mg/kg bodyweight of 50%) respectively thus: group I: Normal saline (1ml/kg body weight); group II: CW; Group III: HON; group IV: CW and HON synergistically for 21days. At the end of the experiment, fasting blood glucose (FBG), skeletal, and hepatic glycogen contents were determined. Serum cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and HDL levels were also assessed. Antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), CAT, and lipid peroxidation’s marker malonaldehyde (MDA) were assessed. Liver enzymes’ alkaline phosphatase (ALT), alanine aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin, and kidney function enzymes’ urea and creatinine were determined. Treatment with CW, HON, and both synergistically decreased FBG and significantly increased hepatic and skeletal glycogen contents compared with control (p<0.05). The serum triglyceride level significantly decreased in all the treated groups compared with control (p<0.05). There was a significant decrease in urea and creatinine levels in all the treated groups compared with control (p<0.05). Treatment with CW, HON, and both synergistically elicited lower AST, ALT, ALP levels compared with control (p<0.05). The result shows a significant increase in albumin levels when treated with both CW and HON synergistically compared with control (p<0.05). GSH, SOD, and CAT showed a significant increase (p<0.05) and lipid peroxidation’s marker, MDA significantly reduced compared with control (p<0.05). The study provides evidence that CW and HON possess hypoglycemic effect and improves hepatic glucose storage. Both CW and HON synergistically improved oxidative balance with concomitant lowering of the lipid peroxidation.