Crocetin ameliorative effect on diabetic nephropathy in rats through a decrease in transforming growth factor-β and an increase in glyoxalase-I activity.

Background & Aims: Glycation, oxidative stress, and inflammation due to the elevation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) participate in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Thus, we investigated for the first time the effect of crocetin (Crt) on the renal histopathological parameters, TGF-β1 and glycation, oxidative stress, as well as inflammatory markers in the DN rat model.

Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups: normal (N), N + Crt, DN, and DN + Crt. DN was induced in rats with a combination of nephrectomy and streptozotocin. Treated groups received 100 mg/kg of Crt via intraperitoneal injection monthly for 3 months. Different glycation (glycated albumin, glycated LDL, Methylglyoxal, and pentosidine), oxidative stress (advanced oxidation protein products, malondialdehyde, glutathione, and paraoxonase-I (PON-1)), and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α, myeloperoxidase, and TGF-β1), blood glucose, insulin, lipid profile, creatinine in the serum, and proteinuria, as well as the glyoxalase-1 (GLO-1) activity, was determined.

Results: Crt decreased renal biochemical (Cre and PU) and histopathological (glomerulosclerosis) renal dysfunction parameters, diverse glycation, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers in the DN rats. Furthermore, the treatment corrected glycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia as well as induced the activities of GLO-1 and PON-1. Over and above, the treatment decreased TGF-β1 in their serum (p > 0.001).

Conclusions: Crocetin improved DN owing to an advantageous effect on metabolic profile. Further, the treatment with a reducing effect on TGF-β1, oxidative stress, glycation, and inflammation markers along with an increase in Glo-1 activity showed multiple protective effects on kidney tissue.