Asparagus racemosus Willd (Liliaceae) ameliorates early diabetic nephropathy in STZ induced diabetic rats

Diabetic nephropathy is a major "microvascular" complication of diabetes, differs from other causes of chronic kidney diseases in its predictability, with well-defined functional progression from hyperfiltration to micro- to macroalbuminuria to renal failure. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Asparagus racemosus Willd (Liliaceae) on streptozotocin-induced early diabetic nephropathy. Single i.p injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) was administered to induce early diabetic nephropathy in Wistar rats and thereafter treated orally with ethanolic extract of Asparagus racemosus (EEAR) at a dose level of 100 and 250 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks. The efficacy of extract was compared with diabetic control rats. A. racemosus treatment significantly decreased plasma glucose, creatinine, urea nitrogen, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Renal hypertrophy, polyuria, hyperfiltration, microalbuminuria and abnormal changes in the renal tissue as well as oxidative stress were effectively attenuated by EEAR treatment. Basement membrane thickening and mesangial proliferation formation without nodules were seen in diabetic rats, whereas these structural changes were reduced in EEAR treated groups. Results of this study suggested that A. racemosus has beneficial effect in the treatment of diabetic