Therapeutic Effect of Amaranthus hybridus on Diabetic Nephropathy

Background: Amaranthus hybridus is claimed to be useful in treating dysentery, diarrhoea, hemorrhage of the bowel, ulcers, liver infections and knee pain in Indian traditional system of medicine, and in southern India, the leaves are used in folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The present research was conducted to evaluate the nephron protective effect of ethanol extract of Amaranthus hybridus leaves in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Materials and methods: Wister albino rats were induced diabetic by a single dose of STZ (50 mg/kg i.p.). The serum and urine renal function parameters-creatinine, urea, uric acid, albumin and total proteins were measured on 15th day after daily oral administration of Amaranthus hybridus ethanolic leaves extract (AHELE) for 14 days at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg. The antioxidant potential of extract was also determined. Hence, the effects of the AHELE treatments on the kidney histological profile in STZ nephrotoxic rats were observed. Results: The present study investigation showed that the AHELE significantly (P<0.001) attenuated elevations in the serum levels of creatinine, urea and uric acid, and urine levels of total proteins and albumin, in diabetic treated rats as compared with diabetic control rats. The extract also improved altered serum total protein associated with diabetes nephropathy. A significant decrease in TBARS (P<0.001), and significant increase in SOD (P<0.001), CAT (P<0.01) and reduced glutathione levels (P<0.001) were observed in the kidney of rats treated with AHELE. Furthermore, the histopathological study of kidney in drug treated rats shows significant protective effect against STZ oxidative stress. Conclusions: Our results suggest that Amaranthus hybridus possesses significant nephronprotective effect against oxidative damage in diabetic rats.