The effect of Malaysian stingless bee, Trigona spp. honey in promoting proliferation of the undifferentiated stem cell

Abstract

Stem cells provide various potential applications in regenerative medicine through its ability of self-renewal and differentiation. Among the various stem cells, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have shown encouraging results in their ability to regenerate. Honey has been used in traditional culture as a natural medicine in supporting wound healing. Yet, very few studies on honey were conducted for its potential as a proliferative agent for stem cells. The aim of this study is to evaluate the stability of two Trigona spp. honeys (1 and 2) added in culture media and its proliferative effect on DPSCs. Both honeys were diluted with standard culture medium through dilution process to prepare the concentrations of 0.01%, 0.04%, 0.10% and 0.25%. DPSCs were treated with the diluted honeys for 24 hours. The proliferative activity was determined through the images taken using an inverted microscope for every six hours. In addition, the MTT assay was conducted to determine the cell viability of DPSCs when treated with both honey 1 and 2 at various concentrations. The results showed a stable culture media added with honey for three days and a dose-dependent proliferative effect of both Trigona spp. honey samples on DPSCs. Optimum proliferative effects were observed at 24 hours for both Trigona spp. honey 1 and 2 on DPSCs. The optimum concentration of Trigona spp. honey 1 was from 0.04% to 0.10% and Trigona spp. honey 2 was below 0.01%. It is concluded that Trigona spp. honey has a promising proliferative effect on DPSCs.

A Review on Recent Progress of Stingless Bee Honey and Its Hydrogel-Based Compound for Wound Care Management

“…Malaysian Trigona honey possesses higher total phenolic content compared to Malaysian Apis honey [ 21 ]. According to Mohamad et al [ 9 ], the polyphenol components in stingless bee honey generated by Trigona bees enhance cell growth. Due to the fact that phenolic compounds are derived from plants, the phenolic and flavonoid content of honey is incredibly reliant on the nectar source selected by the bees, the bee species, and the bees’ foraging region.…”

“…It has the potential to be commercialized in the pharmaceutical industry. The high number of polyphenol compounds in stingless bee honey mean it is good at promoting cell proliferation, protecting the cellular structure, and fighting against free radicals at the wounded area [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Moreover, the antibacterial properties of stingless bee honey can inhibit bacteria and pathogenic organisms at the wounded area and accelerate wound healing via epithelization [ 12 ] due to its low pH and high free acidity [ 13 , 14 ].…”

Antioxidant-Based Medicinal Properties of Stingless Bee Products: Recent Progress and Future Directions

“…Another study evaluated the stability of SBH added in culture media and its proliferative effect on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). The results showed that SBH added to the culture media for three days resulted in a dose-dependent proliferative effect on DPSCs [ 35 ]. Another recent study by Ahmad et al has evaluated anticancer effects of SBH on malignant glioma (U-87) cells [ 33 ].…”

Preliminary Study on the Effects of Stingless Bee Honey (Sbh) on Fasting Blood Glucose in Streptozotocin (Stz)-Induced Diabetic Rat Models

“…Honey has been known for its therapeutic values since a long time ago. It has been studied against various ailments in animal and human models and was denoted as a novel antioxidant agent as it contains a variety of phytochemicals with high flavonoids and phenolic content (Rao et al, 2016;Mohamad et al, 2019). Numerous medicinal benefits such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antihyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, and cardio-protective properties have been recorded to be demonstrated by honey (Shadan et al, 2018).…”

“…of stingless bee, known as Kelulut, is a stingless bee species found in Malaysia. It has been determined to have a medicinal value and is widely used as it is considered to yield a better performance than other honey bees honey (Rao et al, 2016;Mohamad et al, 2019). Stingless bees are a broad monophyletic class of highly eusocial bees widely found throughout the globe in abundance in warm humid forests.…”