Abstract
Background
Oxidative stress and inflammation play important roles in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Raspberry ketone (RK) is one of the main active substances in raspberry and has a variety of medicinal values. Nevertheless, its protective effect on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy mice has not been reported. In this study, we researched if RK improves oxidative stress and inflammation of STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy mice.
Methods
The model of diabetic nephropathy mice was established by a single injection of STZ (130 mg/kg). Diabetic nephropathy mice were treated orally with 400 mg/kg/day raspberry ketone extract to eight weeks. The expression levels of serum creatinine (Scr), urine micro-albumin (mALB), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA). Renal structural changes were investigated by using animal diagnostic ultrasound system.
Results
RK obviously ameliorated as observed in the visible decrease levels of serum creatinine (Scr), urine micro-albumin (mALB). Furthermore, RK improved expression levels of antioxidant enzyme markers (GSH-Px, SOD, CAT) and obviously reduced MDA, a product of lipid peroxidation, pro-inflammatory divisors (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) in diabetic nephropathy mice. After treatment with RK, we observed that the size of the kidneys and the damage of renal interstitial of mice were obviously improved, as well as the loss of integrity of basement membrane and the renal interstitial edema in diabetic nephropathy mice by using animal diagnostic ultrasound system.
Conclusion
This study strongly indicates that raspberry ketone provides a protective effect against STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy in improving oxidative stress and inflammation.