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Background: The etiology of ovarian cancer is not well-understood; numerous metabolomics profiling, epidemiological, and hospital-based case control studies have associated abnormal levels of blood glucose and serum lipids with the risk and the prognosis of various types of cancers including ovarian cancer. The association between the risk of the incidence of ovarian cancer and the alterations in the levels of blood glucose and serum lipids is not well defined. Objective: In this study we aimed to compare the levels of blood glucose, triacylglycerols, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with different stages of ovarian cancer and healthy controls to determine how they relate to the risk and prognosis of ovarian cancer. Methodology: In a case-control cross sectional study, we enrolled ninety-nine Sudanese women, diagnosed with ovarian cancer but had not received any kind of treatment as the study group, and a control group of forty-one age-matched, apparently healthy women. The patients were classified according to the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists staging system into two groups: early stages (stage I & II) and late stages (stages III & IV). Blood glucose and serum lipids; triacylglycerols, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were determined by enzymatic colorimetric methods using commercially available analytical kits. The IBM SPSS version 20 software was used for statistical analysis. A Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of the median concentrations of blood glucose, triacylglycerols, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the study groups. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the relative risk of ovarian cancer in relation to levels of blood glucose How to cite this paper:

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become a disease prevalent worldwide. Honey, which comprises predominantly bioactive constituents, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulating properties. Aim: Recent developments and benefits of natural products in treating various diseases have caught the attention of researchers. This study aims to investigate the antidiabetic effect of bee honey extract on induced diabetic Swiss mice. Materials and Methods: Fifty Swiss male mice were randomly assigned to five groups of 10 mice each. Group I served as the negative control; in group II, the mice received 2 mg/kg/b.wt of honey extract only; and groups III, IV, and V received cyclosporine (CsA) (20 mg/kg/day, s.c.) daily for 10 days prior to receiving streptozotocin (STZ) inoculated at multiple low doses (MLDSTZ) (30 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for five consecutive days. Group IV was administered with insulin initiated at a dose of 0.5 U/kg/b.wt as a standard treatment (positive control). Group V was administered 2 mg/kg/b.wt of honey extract, while group III received no treatment. Results: The results showed a significant hypoglycemic effect, increased body weight, increased liver glycogen levels, and the amelioration of antioxidant activities in groups IV and V compared with the diabetic group III. Moreover, serum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9) concentrations were significantly reduced in the mice treated with the insulin and honey extract in groups IV and V and the tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) levels were significantly higher than the serum levels in group III. Furthermore, the histopathological examination of groups IV and V revealed regenerative changes with the restoration of normal islet cell architecture, as compared to the diabetic mice in group III. Compared to group I, group II showed no changes and exhibited non-significant data. Conclusion: Honey extract plays an effective role in improving all biomarkers in treated group V. Furthermore, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 are considered prognostic markers in the progression, severity, diagnosis, and treatment of type 1 DM. This may play an important role for the treatment of individuals in the future.