Modulatory role of resveratrol on some biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetic nephropathy in Wistar rats

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a chronic debilitating microvascular complication of diabetes, and often leads to end-stage renal disease, a common cause of morbidity and mortality with high burden worldwide. Both oxidative stress and chronic inflammation had been implicated in the pathogenesis of DN. Resveratrol is a natural polyphenolic antioxidant with several beneficial effects in medicine due to its antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective among other properties. This study aimed to investigate the modulatory role of resveratrol in experimentally-induced diabetic nephropathy. Ethical approval was obtained from the institution’s Ethics Committee for Research Animal Care and Use. Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into five groups (n=4): normal control; normoglycemic + 1ml/kg carboxymethylcellulose (CMC); diabetic control; diabetic + 100mg/kg resveratrol; and diabetic + 1mg/kg lisinorpril. Twelve weeks after the induction and treatment, the animals were humanely sacrificed. Serum was collected for biochemical analysis. Values at P<0.05 were considered statistically significant. There was a marked decrease in both serum creatinine and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels in the resveratrol group compared to the diabetic control. Although not significant, there was slight decrease in malondialdehyde concentrations and increase in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the resveratrol group when compared to the diabetic group. Resveratrol ameliorated renal dysfunction in DN by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in male Wistar rats.

Key Words: anti-inflammatory; anti-oxidant; diabetic nephropathy; oxidative stress; resveratrol.