Background
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) approximately constitutes 90% of the reported cases. 30-40% of diabetics eventually develop diabetic nephropathy (DN); accounting for one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Increased glucose autoxidation and non-enzymatic glycation of proteins in diabetic kidneys lead to the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that
Conclusion
C. anthelminticum can mitigate inflammation and oxidative stress in early DN. The anti-nephropathic effect can be attributed to its ability to down-regulate NF-κB and by bringing the Nrf-2 expression levels to near normal.
Methods
The T2DM rat model was developed by giving a high-fat and high-fructose diet followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ 60 mg/kg) on 28th day of the trial. After 72 hours of this injection, rats showing fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels≥230 mg/dL were recruited into six groups. These groups were orally administered distilled water (1 mL/kg), Gliclazide (200 mg/kg), Centratherum anthelminticum seed (FO) and its hexane (HF), chloroform (CF) and ethanol (EF) soluble fractions (200 mg/kg each), respectively for 4 weeks (i.e. 28 days). Blood, serum, and kidney tissue samples of euthanized animals were used for biochemical, pro-inflammatory, and antioxidant markers (ELISA, qRT-PCR, and spectrophotometric assays) and histology, respectively.
Results
C. anthelminticum FO and its fractions reduced the lipid peroxidation, and improved the antioxidant parameters: enzymatic (SOD, CAT, and GPx), non-enzymatic (GSH), and mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory markers (Nrf-2, keap1, and HO-1). mRNA expression of inflammatory and apoptotic markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-1, NF-κB, Bax, and Bcl-2) were attenuated along with improved kidney architecture.