Potential of whey protein as a nutritional intervention in alleviating manganese and paraquat-mediated oxidative stress in Apis mellifera meda

The role of nutrition in alleviating the physiological disorders caused by toxicants in honeybees is currently receiving considerable attention. This study aimed to determine whether dietary supplementation with whey protein (WP) could protect Apis mellifera from manganese and paraquat-induced disorders. In this study, honeybees were exposed to sublethal concentrations of paraquat and manganese (LC 10 = 55.691, 106.189 mg/L; LC 25 = 106.867, 346.410 mg/L) alone or in combination with WP (1% w/v) added to sucrose solution. Several biomarkers of oxidative stress and acetylcholinesterase activity were evaluated in the treated honeybees. The results indicated that the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase were significantly elevated in honeybees treated with either paraquat or manganese compared to controls. Malondialdehyde levels varied statistically between control and treated honeybees. Additionally, a significant increase revealed in acetylcholinesterase activity in treated honeybees. In the co-exposure paradigm, WP substantially reduced oxidative stress induced by manganese or paraquat and restored the activity of acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant enzymes. These findings suggest that WP may be neuroprotective against paraquat and manganese. Furthermore, we propose that supplementing honeybees’ diets with WP is an effective strategy for reducing manganese or paraquat-induced neurotoxicity.