Rodent models may help investigations on the possible link between
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gut microbiota since autistic patients frequently manifested gastrointestinal troubles as co-morbidities. Thirty young male rats were divided into five groups: Group 1 serves as control; Group 2, bee pollen and probiotic-treated; and Group 3,
propionic acid (PPA)-induced rodent model of
autism; Group 4 and Group 5, the protective and therapeutic groups were given bee pollen and probiotic combination treatment either before or after the neurotoxic dose of PPA, respectively. Serum
occludin,
zonulin,
lipid peroxides (MDA),
glutathione (GSH),
glutathione-S-transferase (GST),
glutathione peroxidase (GPX),
catalase, and gut microbial composition were assessed in all investigated groups. Recorded data clearly indicated the marked elevation in serum
occludin (1.23 ± 0.15 ng/mL) and
zonulin (1.91 ± 0.13 ng/mL) levels as potent
biomarkers of leaky gut in the PPA- treated rats while both were normalized to bee pollen/probiotic-treated rats. Similarly, the high significant decrease in
catalase (3.55 ± 0.34 U/dL), GSH (39.68 ± 3.72 µg/mL), GST (29.85 ± 2.18 U/mL), and GPX (13.39 ± 1.54 U/mL) concomitant with a highly significant increase in MDA (3.41 ± 0.12 µmoles/mL) as a marker of oxidative stress was also observed in PPA-treated animals. Interestingly, combined bee pollen/probiotic treatments demonstrated remarkable amelioration of the five studied oxidative stress variables as well as the fecal microbial composition. Overall, our findings demonstrated a new approach to the beneficial use of bee pollen and probiotic combination as a therapeutic intervention strategy to relieve neurotoxic effects of PPA, a
short-chain fatty acid linked to the pathoetiology of
autism.