Agmatine ameliorates diabetes type 2-induced nephropathy in rats

Abstract

Objective: To assess the nephroprotective potential of agmatine in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. Methods: A single dose of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) coupled with a fructose diet induced diabetes in Wistar rats. Agmatine (40 and 80 mg/kg) was administered to rats for 12 weeks. The body weight and fasting blood glucose were measured weekly. Insulin level, urine output, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and cystatin-C were also determined at the end of the experiment. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were evaluated in kidney tissue. Histopathological study was also performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: Agmatine at both doses significantly increased final body weight, and lowered fasting blood glucose, urine output, insulin, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and cystatin-C levels compared with the diabetic group (P < 0.05). Inflammatory markers and antioxidant effect were significantly improved in agmatine-treated rats. Moreover, the histopathological changes in renal structure were ameliorated by agmatine treatment. Conclusions: Agmatine alleviates diabetic nephropathy by improving renal functions and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. The molecular mechanisms of its nephroprotective actions need to be investigated in future study.

Keywords

Agmatine / Type 2 diabetes / Nephropathy / Oxidative stress / Nephroprotection

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the technical and financial support.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

The Deanship of Scientific Research at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia has funded this project, under grant no. (KEP MSc-42-140-1443).

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon request.

Authors’ contributions

Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by FOK, MAA and OS. Study design and conception were done by MAA, FOK, GSAE and SK. The first draft of the manuscript was written by ASB, OS and DB. The previous version and revised version of the manuscript was commented by MJ, SK and FOK. The final manuscript was read and approved by MAA, FOK, OS, ASB and SK.

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