286THE INHIBITORY, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF BEE HONEY ON HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA CELL LINE HepG2The objective of the present study was to evaluate the in-vitro antioxidant, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of Bee honey on human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells and to clarify the possible biochemical mechanisms which could be involved in their effects, and related to their antioxidant and antineoplastic activities. HepG2 cell line was treated by different concentrations of diluted unfractionated bee honey, exposure lasted for different time durations (6, 24, 48, 72 hrs), both dose response and time course response were conducted. Cell viability was tested by Trypan blue exclusion test. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was estimated in the cell lysate. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) activity and tumor necrosis factor–alpha (TNF-α) were measured in culture supernatants of both treated and untreated HepG2 at all indicated times. The level of nuclear factor–kappa B (NF-кB) was estimated in nuclear extract of HepG2 cells. Treatment of HepG2 cells with bee honey lead to a significant decrease in both the number of viable HepG2 cells and the levels of MDA especially in HepG2 cells treated with higher doses of bee honey for longer duration (72 hrs.). Our results showed a significant decrease in HDACs activity in treated cell compared to the control cells. Moreover, complete inhibition of TNF-α in HepG2 cells which were treated with high doses for 48 hrs and 72hrs. Finally there is a significant decrease in the level of NF-кB in treated cells compared to the control cells. Bee Honey has an antineoplastic effect, inhibiting the growth of HepG2 cells through several possible mechanisms. This could be by decreasing HDACs activity and NF-кB level. Moreover, Bee honey demonstrated antioxidant activity against the oxidative stress developed during the progress of HCC. Furthermore the anti-inflammatory effect of bee honey is mediated by decreasing the levels of TNF-α and NF-кB .moustafash@zu.edu.egResearch492013Hepatocellular carcinoma,Malondialdehyde,Tumor necrosis factor alpha,Histone deacetylases,Nuclear factor– kappa B; Bee honeyMahmoud I. Hassan,Zahran F.M,Hanan H. Shehata,Moustafa Salaheldin AbdelhamidOncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.,Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.,Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.,Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt