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Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment · Journal article
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · September 3, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This is the first preclinical study to evaluate stingless bee honey in an obese-diabetic rat model, reporting improvements in obesity index, fasting blood glucose, lipid profiles, reproductive hormones, sperm quality, and renal function at intermediate to higher doses. A non-linear dose-response with hormesis (better efficacy at moderate vs. high doses) was observed, but the work remains exploratory in animals and requires confirmation in humans before any clinical recommendation.
Preclinical in vivo animal study. Male obese-diabetic rats in a pre-clinical model.. Intervention: Stingless bee honey (Heterotrigona itama) at doses including 150 and 300 mg kg⁻¹..
Stingless bee honey treatment reduced Lee obesity index (LOI) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in obese-diabetic rats Most pronounced effects observed at 150 and 300 mg kg⁻¹ doses, indicating non-linear dose–response pattern Treatment improved lipid profiles, reproductive hormone levels, enhanced sperm quality, and restored renal function
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This preliminary work does not provide evidence sufficient to guide clinical practice. The findings suggest a potential therapeutic direction but require validation in humans with adequately powered trials measuring hard clinical endpoints before any recommendation for use in patients.
First-in-kind preclinical study in an animal model with no human data, surrogate endpoints, and acknowledged dose-optimization need; results warrant further investigation but do not yet support clinical application.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
This preliminary work does not provide evidence sufficient to guide clinical practice. The findings suggest a potential therapeutic direction but require validation in humans with adequately powered trials measuring hard clinical endpoints before any recommendation for use in patients.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Abstract Background Stingless bee honey (SBH) obtained from Heterotrigona itama possesses high phenolic content and can potentially be used as a health supplement to ameliorate metabolic diseases such as obesity, which is often comorbid with diabetes and male infertility. However, how SBH can ameliorate these multiple conditions in a single treatment still requires thorough investigation. This preliminary study therefore aimed to characterize the physicochemical characteristics and metabolite profiles of SBH before evaluating its impact on obese–diabetic male rats in a pre‐clinical study. Results Stingless bee honey treatment successfully reduced the Lee obesity index (LOI) and fasting blood glucose (FBG), improved lipid profiles and reproductive hormone levels, enhanced sperm quality, and restored renal function. The most pronounced effects were observed at 150 and 300 mg kg −1, indicating a non‐linear dose–response pattern. These bioactive effects may be attributed to a diverse metabolite composition, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and the characteristic sugar, trehalulose. Conclusions Stingless bee honey exhibits significant therapeutic potential in ameliorating metabolic and reproductive disorders. The observed hormesis response further highlights the importance of dose optimization, with low to moderate doses conferring greater benefits than higher dosages. As far as the authors are aware, no prior study has evaluated the effects of SBH on the interconnected conditions of obesity, diabetes, and male infertility, making this investigation the first of its kind. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
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