Investigation into the effects of curcumin on nephropathy diabetic treatment and care

This research aims to explore the effects of curcumin, a phytochemical agent, on nephropathy diabetic treatment and care, and contribute to the treatment strategies for diabetes. 8-10-week-old 35 male Wistar Albino rats were used in the study. They were kept in stainless steel cages under 22±2 °C and in a regular light-dark cycle (L:D= 12:12). They were given a regular diet with no restrictions. 35 rats were put into 5 groups. 110mg/kg nicotinamide was given to them except for the first group. After 15 mins, 55mg/kg of Streptozotocin was injected intravenously. The subjects were weighed out after 72 hours. Their weights were observed, and pre-prandial blood glucose levels were measured weekly. All subjects except for the 1st group (placebo group) were induced diabetes. While the first group received saline solution, the second received no medication. Other three groups had different treatments: the third group had metformin, the fourth diamicron and the fifth curcumin. The subjects fasted for 12 hours. Then they were sacrificed with a cardiac puncture under ketamine anesthesia. Their abdomens were opened, and some tissues were extracted from their kidneys to conduct histopathologic examination. The results revealed no significant differences between the kidney dimensions of the subjects. Due to diabetes nephropathic indications, glomerular congestion and destruction were observed on the kidneys. The results showed that curcumin treatment had less damage than diabetic medication on the kidneys. The findings indicated that curcumin has protective effects on kidneys in experimental diabetic rats due to its antioxidant features. It can be claimed that curcumin can be used as an adjunct to antidiabetic drugs in diabetes. Key words: Diabetic nephropathy, curcumin, antioxidant effect.