Background:
Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a microvascular complication of diabetes has been a significant health issue
globally. However, theaflavin enriched black tea extract (BTE-TF) could restrain DN.
Objective:
The main objective of this exploration was to elucidate the effect of BTE-TF on DN, though the underlying
mechanism remains unclear and requires further investigation.
Method:
The tea leaves were fermented to get black tea extract. Total phenolic content and HPLC were carried out to
determine the phenolic content and theaflavin in the extract. Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats were treated with 100, 200,
and 400 mg/kg/day BTE-TF extract for 12 weeks. Biochemical parameters like blood glucose, creatinine, blood urea
nitrogen (BUN), triglyceride and antioxidant parameters of kidney tissue were measured. Histology, immunohistochemistry
and TUNEL assay were performed to observe the effect of the extract with comparison to the standard drug (Metformin
200mg/kg/day).
Result:
Treated animals exhibited reduced blood glucose levels, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and serum
triglycerides. Further, BTE-TF restored the histological alterations in the kidney. Chronic hyperglycaemia resulted in a
significant increase in oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines of NF-kβ pathway. BTE-TF attenuated oxidative
stress (p<0.01), inflammation (p<0.05) and apoptosis (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
This study suggests that BTE-TF exerts a protective role against diabetes-induced renal injury by ameliorating
oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.
Defective antioxidative activity of small dense HDL3 particles in type 2 diabetes: relationship to elevated oxidative stress and hyperglycaemia