Abstract
Background: Diabetic nephropathy and cardiomyopathy are the main complications induced by chronic hyperglycemia through production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and the creation of a proinflammatory mediators. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of quercetin (Qr) and/or lactoferrin (LF) in down regulation of advanced glycation end product, connective tissue growth factor and inflammatory cytokines expressions in diabetic nephropathy and cardiomyopathy induced rats.
Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg). Rats were allocated into five groups; (G1) Normal non-diabetic rats; (G2) Diabetic rats; (G3) Diabetic rats injected with Qr (10 mg/kg /day); (G4) Diabetic rats treated with Bovine LF (50 mg/kg /day); (G5) Diabetic rats injected with the combination of Qr and Bovine LF (as in groups 3,4). Serum fasting glucose level, blood hemoglobin, serum biomarkers of heart (AST, LDH and CPK). and kidney damage (cystatin C, creatinine albumin andurea), inflammatory cytokines, as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha as well as AGEs and CTGF in heart and kidney tissues were determined. Significant differences among different groups were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Bonferroni's test.
Results: Induction of diabetes in rats dramatically led to increase in the levels of AGEP and CTGF in both kidney and heart tissues of diabetic rats. Serum TNF alpha and IL-6, albumin, urea and cystatin C, AST, LDH and CPK levels were significantly increased in diabetic group. The administration of Qr and/or LF to the diabetic rats significantly down-modulated the alterations in the above parameters in relation to diabetic untreated animals.
Conclusion: The current two agents possess significant therapeutic effects against diabetic nephropathy and cardiomyopathy by down regulation of the studied parameters. Moreover, the results proved that bovine LF alone and particularly its combination with Qr were effective in controlling the hyperglycemic induced renal and cardiac damage.