Oral Administration of Root Extract of Boerhaavia diffusa Mitigates Diabetes-induced Kidney Damages in the Golden Hamster Mesocricetus auratus

Diabetes, a common metabolic disorder, is affecting people irrespective of age group and/or gender. The chronic hyperglycemia during diabetes leads to heart-, kidney-, eye- and nerve damages. Boerhaavia diffusa, commonly known as Punarnava, is one of the traditional medicines described in Ayurveda for the treatment of a number of diseases. B. diffusa has been reported to exhibit antidiabetic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory properties. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic potential of ethanolic extract of root of B. diffusa and its effect on diabetes-induced kidney damage in hamster model. Treatment of ethanolic extract of B. diffusa resulted in significant reduction in the serum glucose level and increased insulin concentration with a simultaneous increment in the levels of muscle and liver glycogen. The oral supplementation of B. diffusa root extract improved lipid profile by reducing the cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and by increasing high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The activity of antioxidant enzymes Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) in the kidney significantly improved following oral administration of B. diffusa while a significant decrease in Lipid Peroxidation (LPO) level was noted in the kidney after the treatment. Ethanolic root extract of B. diffusa decreased the level of serum creatinine, urea and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) significantly. B. diffusa administration demonstrated marked improvement in renal histology as evident by the regenerative changes in glomerulus and Bowman’s capsule. Thus, the use of ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa may prove therapeutically effective in prevention as well as inhibition of the progression of diabetes and associated kidney damages.