Prevention of ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats by natural honey and glucose-fructose-sucrose-maltose mixture.

The cytoprotective properties of various natural honey specimens and of a glucose-fructose-sucrose-maltose mixture (GFSM) against gastric ethanol-induced lesions have been evaluated in rats. GFSM mixture and honey (2.5 g kg-1) were given orally 30 min before administration of 100% ethanol (5 ml kg-1) for a further 15-min period. Animal pretreatment with GFSM or honey prevented the formation of gastric lesions. The number and severity of haemorrhagic lesions were reduced by 98%. Stomach acid content increased by 110-703% according to honey specimens. The similar protective effects of honey and GFSM mixture suggest that carbohydrates at high concentrations behave as mild irritants that can induce adaptive cytoprotection.