Antidiabetic retinopathy effect of Fufang Danshen Mingmu in rats

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of Fufang Danshen Mingmu (FDM) on streptozotocin-induced diabetic retinopathy rats.Methods: Diabetic retinopathy model rats were prepared using a single intraperitoneal injection of a freshly prepared solution of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of ten rats each: negative control group, control group, reference group (glibenclamide, 1 mg/kg) as well as FDM groups, (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight). Blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were determined. Oxidative stress was evaluated in liver and kidney as lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT). Blood serum levels of creatinine and urea were determined in both diabetic control and treated rats.Results: Compared with diabetic rats, oral administration of FDM at a dose of 200 mg/kg daily for 30 days resulted in a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose (120.21 ± 3.37 mg/dL, p < 0.05) and increased insulin level (13.31 ± 0.67 uU/mL, p < 0.05). Furthermore, it significantly reduced biochemical parameters (serum creatinine, 0.86 ±0.24 mg/dL, p < 0.05) and serum urea 41.86±1.59 mg/dL, p <0.05).Conclusion: The results indicate that FDM normalizes impaired antioxidant status in streptozotocin induced diabetic retinopathy rats, and also exerts a protective effect against lipid peroxidation by scavenging free radicals.