Nephroprotective role of alcoholic extract of Pterocarpus marsupium heartwood against experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy

Context: Heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupium has been widely reported for its effect on diabetes clinical or preclinically. However, role in diabetic complications is yet to be revealed. Aims: To investigate the effect of alcoholic extract of the heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupiumin experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy in rats. Methods: The streptozotocin (STZ) 55 mg/kg, i.p., once daily induced diabetes in Sprague-Dawley rats. These animals were treated orally with alcoholic extract of P. marsupium (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) or glimepiride (10 mg/kg) for 60 days. Body weight, blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1c), biochemical markers of renal function were estimated on day 30 and at the end of study (day 60). Kidney weight measurement, oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation (TBARS), catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione were estimated in kidney tissues, and histopathological evaluation was carried out at the end of study period. Results: The administration of an alcoholic extract of P. marsupium showed a decrease in blood glucose, HBA1c, kidney weight, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, serum uric acid, urea, urine volume, urine albumin and the level of TBARS. While the increase in urine creatinine, the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione were observed when compared to the diabetic control group. This effect was observed significantly at the highest dose of the plant extract. The histopathological study also confirmed that alcoholic extract prevented structural kidney damage. Conclusions: These results suggest that the alcoholic extract of P. marsupium has renoprotective effects against STZ induced diabetic nephropathy