Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidative Activities of Safranal in the Reduction of Renal Dysfunction and Damage that Occur in Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most important complications of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study is to investigate the curative and renal damage-reducing effects of safranal on inflammation and oxidative stress in diabetic nephropathy. Experimental type 2 diabetes was created in rats by use of high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) in the experimental animals. Safranal was then administered to two of the five experimental groups (type 2 diabetes group (DYB) and HFD groups) for a period of 4 weeks. At the end of the 10-week study, the serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (CREA) levels, renal tissue oxidative stress parameters (total antioxidant capacity (TAS), total oxidant capacity (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), GSH, NO), and cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18, IFN-γ) were analyzed. In addition, the effect of safranal on the diabetic nephropathy-induced damage in renal tissue was also analyzed histopathologically. In this study, safranal was found to reduce dysfunction (lowered BUN and CREA levels) and tissue damage (histopathological data) that occur in renal tissue, by means of its both antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. In the light of these results, we suggest that safranal contributes to the development of new treatment protocols in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and its complication diabetic nephropathy.