Nephroprotective effect of naringenin against Multiple Low Dose Streptozotocin (MLDSTZ) induced renal damage in mice

Abstract

Streptozotocin, a widely used diabetes-inducing agent, is known to cause severe damage to organs that include pancreas, liver and kidneys. This organ damaging effect of streptozotocin is primarily due to its ability to elevate blood glucose, which in turn cause oxidative stress and many metabolic abnormalities. Therefore, antioxidant compounds that can inhibit STZ-induced ROS are potential anti-diabetic agents and help in protecting organs from STZ-mediated damage. Hence, in this study the ability of naringenin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, to protect kidneys from the damage caused by the administration of MLDSTZ in mice was evaluated. Mice treated with intraperitoneal injections of 50mg/kg body weight streptozotocin, for five days, have developed nephropathy, as confirmed by elevated urea, uric acid, creatinine, bilirubin, albumin, and serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxides. In addition, a study decline in (a) antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT); (b) glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was observed in the lysates collected from kidneys. Oral administration of naringenin at 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg body weight for 45 days to STZ treated mice mitigated the complications of nephrotoxicity as demonstrated by normal (or close to normal) levels of renal markers and antioxidants. Furthermore, histopathological examination of kidney sections showed recovery of normal morphology of tissues indicating that naringenin protects mice from STZ-induced kidney damage.