Evaluation of antioxidants in the kidney of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrine metabolic disorders. Dual endocrine deficits of impaired insulin action (insulin resistance) and inadequate insulin secretion create an environment of chronic hyperglycemia and general metabolic disarray. Oxidative stress plays an important role in diabetic pathogenesis. Oxidative stress induced by streptozotocin (STZ) has been shown to damage pancreatic beta cell and produce hyperglycemia in rats. The present study was made to evaluate the antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract of the Evolvulus alsinoides in STZ induced rats. The antioxidant activities were done by using standard protocols. For histopathological analysis, the pancreatic tissues of all experimental groups were fixed with 10 % formalin for 24 h then the samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for the microscopic observation. Our results showed the significant decrease in lipid peroxidation and increases in the antioxidant (both enzymatic and nonenzymatic) levels after treatment with standard as well as the E. alsinoides. There is no significant difference between control and plant alone group rats. The histopathology reports also revealed non-toxic effect and protective effect of E. alsinoides in the kidney of STZ induced diabetic rats. Our result indicated that the E. alsinoides extract effectively increased the antioxidant level thereby it prevents oxidative stress during diabetes mellitus and also it showed the protective effect on kidney of STZ induced rats. Hence it can be used to maintain the antioxidant level during diabetes mellitus.