Objective: Diabetic hyperglycemia causes oxidative stress, contributing to chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study evaluated the effects of ethanolic Dorema aucheri extract from aerial parts on oxidative stress, inflammation, and kidney injury in diabetic rats.
Materials and Methods: Thirty male rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n=6): non-diabetic control, diabetic control, diabetic + metformin (500 mg/kg/day), and diabetic + D. aucheri extract (250 or 500 mg/kg/day). Treatments were given orally for 28 days. Serum and kidney samples were analyzed for fasting blood glucose (FBS), renal function [blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr)], inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β)], oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)], mRNA expression [kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), Caspase-9 (CASP-9)], stereology, and histopathology.
Results: Treatment with D. aucheri hydroalcoholic extract significantly improved metabolic, inflammatory, oxidative, and renal outcomes in diabetic rats. Specifically, both 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg doses reduced blood glucose (p<0.05), BUN (p<0.05 and p<0.01) and Cr (p<0.01 for 500 mg/kg), IL-6 (p<0.05), and IL-1β (p<0.05 and p<0.001), respectively. MDA decreased (p<0.001 and p<0.05), SOD, CAT, and GPx increased (p<0.01). Renal KIM-1 and NGAL decreased (p<0.01), CASP-9 decreased (p<0.01 and p<0.05), and BCL-2 increased (p<0.05), respectively. Histopathology confirmed reduced kidney damage correlating with biochemical and gene expression improvements.
Conclusion: Dorema aucheri extract has the potential to modulate antioxidant and apoptotic pathways and reduce kidney injury in diabetic rats. Further studies are needed to confirm its therapeutic efficacy.