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Protective effects of chronic melatonin treatment against renal injury in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats
Author(s) -
Cam Meryem,
Yavuz Özlem,
Guven Aysel,
Ercan Feriha,
Bukan Neslihan,
Üstündag Nil
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-079x.2003.00082.x
Subject(s) - melatonin , streptozotocin , endocrinology , medicine , diabetes mellitus , lipid peroxidation , oxidative stress , glutathione peroxidase , malondialdehyde , superoxide dismutase
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin as an antioxidant, on prevention and treatment of streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic renal injury in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: (1) untreated, (2) melatonin‐treated, (3) untreated diabetic (UD), (4) melatonin‐treated diabetic (MD). Experimental diabetes was induced by single dose (60 mg/kg, i.p.) STZ injection. For 3 days prior to administration of STZ, melatonin was injected (200 μ g/kg/day, i.p.); these injections were continued until the end of the study (4 weeks). Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a marker of lipid peroxidation were significantly increased in the renal homogenates of UD animals and decreased after melatonin administration. The activity of the antioxidative enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) was significantly reduced in UD rats. Melatonin treatment reversed STZ‐induced reduction of GSH‐Px activity without having an effect on blood glucose. Upon histopathological examination, it was observed that the melatonin treatment prevented the renal morphological damage caused by diabetes. Upon immunohistochemical investigation, glomerular anti‐laminin β 1 staining decreased in MD rats. Additionally, no tubular anti‐IGF‐1 staining was observed in melatonin‐treated rats. In conclusion, chronically administered melatonin reduced renal injury in STZ‐induced diabetic rats and thus it may provide a useful therapeutic option in humans to reduce oxidative stress and the associated renal injury in patients with diabetes mellitus.