Effect of ethanol extract of Rhodiola rosea on the early nephropathy in type 2 diabetic rats

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutical effects of Rhodiola rosea extract on rats with type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN). The rat type 2 DN model was established by high fat and high calorie feeding and intravenous injection of streptozocin (STZ). Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group, control group, low dose Rhodiola rosea group, high dose Rhodiola rosea group and Captopril group. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed to determine the impairment of glucose tolerance in the established animal model. A series of parameters including fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), creatinine clearance rate (Ccr), 24-h urinary albumin (UA), the ratio of kidney mass/body weight (renal index) and glomerular area were examined after 8 weeks. Moreover, the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in renal tissues was detected by using immunohistochemisty. At the end of the eighth week, FBG, TC, TG, Ccr, 24-h urinary albumin, the ratio of kidney mass/body weight and glomerular area were significantly reduced in Rhodiola rosea extract treatment groups as compared with those in control group. TGF-β1 expression in renal tissues of Rhodiola rosea extract treatment groups was also significantly decreased as compared with that of control group. These results indicate that Rhodiola rosea extract may have a protective effect on early nephropathy in diabetic rats, which might be related to the decrease of the renal expression of TGF-β1.

Keywords

Rhodiola rosea / nephropathy / type 2 diabetes / transforming growth factor-β1

References

[1] FornoniA, IjazA, TejadaT, et al.. Role of inflammation indiabetic nephropathy. Curr Diabetes Rev, 2008, 4(1): 10-17

[2] QianEW, GeDT, KongSK. Salidroside promotes erythropoiesis and protects erythroblasts against oxidative stress by up-regulating glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin. J Ethnopharmacol, 2011, 133(2): 308-314

[3] ZhuJ, WanX, ZhuY, et al.. Evaluation of salidroside in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity. Drug Chem Toxicol, 2010, 33(2): 220-226

[4] HuX, LinS, YuD, et al.. A preliminary study: the anti-proliferation effect of salidroside on different human cancer cell lines. Cell Biol Toxicol, 2010, 26(6): 499-507

[5] ZhangZ, LiuJ, ShangX, et al.. The effect of Rhodiola capsules on oxygen consumption of myocardium and coronary artery blood flow in dogs. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi (Chinese), 1998, 23(2): 104-106

[6] JinXN, SongBH, JiaYJ, et al.. Protective effects of the ethanol extract of Rhodiola rosea on blood glucose and structural changes of kidney in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Yanbian Daxue Yixue Xuebao (Chinese), 2009, 32(4): 241-243

[7] LiuYY, MaoL, MoQZ. Experimental NIDDM rat model. Zhonghua Neifenmi Daixie Zazhi (Chinese), 1990, 6(2): 115

[8] GuoXH, LiuZH, LiH, et al.. Type 2 diabetes mellitus induced by diets and its features of renal involvement in rat. Zhongguo Tangniaobing Zazhi (Chinese), 2002, 10(5): 291

[9] CaramoriMLA, MauerM. Diabetes and nephropathy. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens, 2003, 12(3): 273-282

[10] LinST. Diabetic nephropathy. Zhonghua Zhongxiyi Jiehe Zazhi (Chinese), 2005, 14(3): 229-230

[11] KovesTR, UssherJR, NolandRC, et al.. Mitochondrial overload and incomplete fatty acid oxidation contribute to skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Cell Metab, 2008, 7(1): 45-56

[12] RobertsAB, McCuneBK, SpornMB. TGF-beta: regulation of extracellular matrix. Kidney Int, 1992, 41(3): 557-559

[13] GouldSE, DayM, JonesSS, et al.. BMP-7 regulates chemokine, cytokine, and hemodynamic gene expression in proximal tubule cells. Kidney Int, 2002, 61(1): 51-60