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Effect of oral berberine administration on the renal profiles of adenosine deaminase, arginase, and nitric oxide in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy of rats

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Abstract

Berberine (BBR) administration is effective in the management of diabetic nephropathy, but the full mechanism of action has not been comprehensively established. This study investigated the effect of oral administration of BBR on fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, renal function (serum uric acid, urea, and creatinine) markers, arginase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities, and endogenous antioxidant level in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy of rats. Non-diabetic and diabetic (induced with 50 mg/kg body weight (bwt) of STZ) rats were treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg bwt of BBR for 14 days. Thereafter, the rats were sacrificed and the kidney was isolated and homogenized. The supernatant was used for the determination of ADA and arginase activities, nitric oxide (NO), and malonylaldehyde (MDA) levels. Antioxidant status of the kidney (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, and glutathione (GSH) level) was determined. The result indicated that FBG level, as well as serum biomarkers of kidney function, was drastically reduced in diabetic rats treated with BBR when compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Induction of diabetes led to an increase in ADA and arginase activities, and MDA level, with a concomitant decrease of NO level and antioxidant status, compared with the normal control rats. However, treatment with BBR (50 and 100 mg/kg) reversed these effects. In conclusion, oral administration of BBR decreased FBG, ADA and arginase activities, and MDA level, and increased NO and antioxidant in diabetic rats.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Professor Ganiyu Oboh of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Research Laboratory, Biochemistry Department, School of Science, Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria, for providing the laboratory facilities to carry out this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Research Laboratory, Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B 704, Akure, 340001, Nigeria

    Stephen A. Adefegha, Felix A. Dada, Sunday I. Oyeleye & Ganiyu Oboh

  2. Science Laboratory Technology Department (Biochemistry Unit), Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State, P.M.B 231, Ede, Nigeria

    Felix A. Dada

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  1. Stephen A. Adefegha
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  2. Felix A. Dada
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  3. Sunday I. Oyeleye
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  4. Ganiyu Oboh
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Correspondence to Stephen A. Adefegha.

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The investigation was performed according to the Animal Ethics Committee Guidelines for the use of experimental animals (Ethic code FUTA/ETH/2020/014).

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Adefegha, S.A., Dada, F.A., Oyeleye, S.I. et al. Effect of oral berberine administration on the renal profiles of adenosine deaminase, arginase, and nitric oxide in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy of rats. Comp Clin Pathol 31, 255–263 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-022-03329-1

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