Abstract
Aim: Silibinin, also known as silybin, is the major active constituent of silymarin reported myriad pharmacological activities. The present study investigates the protective effect of silibinin in diabetic nephropathy (DN) in experimentally induced type‐2 diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Oral glucose tolerance test was performed in Sprague Dawley rats, fed with high‐fat diet for 2 weeks. Rats failed to compensate glucose load were rendered diabetic with streptozotocin (35 mg/kg; i.p) and left untreated for 4 weeks.Thereafter, diabetic rats were orally treated with silibinin (40 or 80 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Results: A significant hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia were observed in diabetic rats as compared to control rats, and these changes were significantly restored in the silibinin treated diabetic rats. Further a long standing hyperglycaemia resulted in altered antioxidant system and induced DN, characterised by increased serum and urinary creatinine (P < 0.001), urea nitrogen (P < 0.001), creatinine clearance (P < 0.001) and urinary albumin excretion rate (P < 0.001) as well as decreased albumin (P < 0.01) and total protein (P < 0.001). Restoration of kidney functions and antioxidant system were observed in the diabetic rats treated with silibinin. Moreover, histopathological alterations in diabetic rats were restored towards near normal architecture with silibinin treatment. Conclusion: The present study indicated that 4 weeks of silibinin treatment may prevent the progression of early DN. Key words: Creatinine, diabetes, nephropathy, silibinin, streptozotocin
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