Protective effect of hydro-alcoholic extract ofachillea millefoliumon renal injury and biochemical factors in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

PurposeHerbal medicine has been used for the management of complications of diabetes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the anti-diabetic effects ofAchillea millefoliumextract on diabetic rats.Design/methodology/approachTo this aim, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups in which each group comprised eight rats. The four experimental groups were as follows: control group, diabetic control (DC) group (STZ; 50 mg/kg), diabetic rats, receiving 250 mg/kg hydro-alcoholic extract of theA. millefolium(DAM) and diabetic rats, receiving 5 mg/kg glibenclamide (DG). After 21 days of the treatment course, tissues of the kidney and blood samples were collected for histopathological, biochemical and molecular analysis.FindingsThe concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glucose serum were markedly reduced in the DC group while significantly increased in DG and DAM groups (1.11 ± 0.57 to 19.4 ± 3.5 and 17.8 ± 1.2p = 0.002 and 325 ± 0.18 to 223 ± 0.11 and 211 ± 0.32p = 0.02, respectively). Also, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were markedly reduced in the DC group while significantly increased in DAM and DG groups (9.1 ± 2.21 to 18.7 ± 3.81 and 14.9 ± 3.1p = 0.03 andp = 0.02, respectively). The concentrations of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and urea were substantially decreased in DAM and DG groups as compared with the DC group (0.49 ± 0.02 to 0.27 ± 0.01 and 0.25 ± 0.01p = 0.01, 15.6 ± 2.1 to 7.2 ± 0.68 and 8.6 ± 1.2p = 0.02 and 114 ± 9.4 to 59.8 ± 5.2 and 64 ± 5.2p = 0.03, respectively). Also, Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) expression was significantly decreased in DAM and DG groups as compared with the DC group (1.3 ± 0.32 to 0.91 ± 0.03 and 0.93 ± 0.02p= p = 0.01).Originality/valueDiabetes led to degenerative damages in the kidney of rats and increased the mRNA level of Bax, while treatment withA. millefoliumcould protect the kidney tissue against diabetes complications and increased the mRNA expression of Bcl-2. This study indicated thatA. millefoliumextracts not only improves renal function as a result of anti-oxidant activity but also modulates some biochemical factors in diabetic rats.