Jk. Grover et al., Traditional Indian anti-diabetic plants attenuate progression of renal damage in streptozotocin induced diabetic mice, J ETHNOPHAR, 76(3), 2001, pp. 233-238
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of daily oral feedi
ng Momordica charantia (MC) (200 mg/kg), Eugenia jambolana (EJ) (200 mg/kg)
, Mucuna pruriens (MP) (200 mg/kg) and Tinospora cordifolia (TC) extracts f
or 40 days on blood glucose concentrations and kidney functions in streptoz
otocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. Plasma glucose levels, body weight, urine volum
e and urinary albumin levels were monitored on every 10th day over a 40-day
period while plasma creatinine levels were assessed at the beginning and e
nd of experiment. Renal hypertrophy was assessed as the ratio between the k
idney weight and total body weight. Plasma glucose concentrations in STZ-di
abetic mice were reduced by the administration of extracts of MC, EJ, TC an
d NIP by 24.4, 20.84, 7.45 and 9.07%, respectively (P < 0.005 for MC, EJ, N
IP and P < 0.05 for TC). Urine volume was significantly higher (P < 0.005)
in diabetic controls and NIC, EJ, NIP and TC treatment prevented polyuria (
P < 0.001, 0.0001, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively). After 10 days of STZ admi
nistration urinary albumin levels (UAE) were over 6 fold higher in diabetic
controls as compared to normal controls. Treatment with NIC, EJ, NIP and T
C significantly prevented the rise in UAE levels from day 0 to 40 in compar
ison to diabetic controls (P < 0.0001, 0.0001, 0.05, 0.05, respectively). R
enal hypertrophy was significantly higher in diabetic controls as compared
to non-diabetic controls. NIC and EJ partially but significantly (P < 0.05)
prevented renal hypertrophy as compared to diabetic controls. TC and NIP f
ailed to modify renal hypertrophy. Results indicate that these plant drugs
should be studied further. <(c)> 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rig
hts reserved.