Effect of aqueous extract from rhizome of Cynodon dactylon L. Pers on lipid peroxidation and diabetic nephropathy in diabetic rats

Today, oxidative stress and free radicals are known as important factors of pathogenesis caused by diabetes. In the present study the effect of aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon rhizome on lipid peroxidations in plasma and nephropathy induced by diabetes has been studied. In this experimental study, 30 adult male Wistar rats where randomly divided into 5 six member groups. The control group rats were injected with physiological serum. Group II rats, contracted diabetes through being injected 70 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally. For 4 weeks, the rats of the third, fourth and fifth groups, were fed aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon rhizome, 50, 250 and 500 mg/kg respectively. After the end of treatment, blood from the heart of rats was obtained and after opening the abdominal cavity their kidneys were removed and put in 10% buffered formalin solution. Malondialdehyde (MDA) of plasma was measured as an indicator for lipid peroxidations. After preparing kidney sections and painting them, they were studied in terms of changes in glomerular and tubular structures. Plasma MDA levels in diabetic rats, treated with 500 mg/kg extract, decreased significantly compared to untreated diabetic group (P<0.01). In untreated diabetic rats basement membrane thickening, dilatation of the urinary space, and the hyalinized artery walls, were observed. This study showed that aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon rhizome reduces lipid peroxidation and decreases diabetic nephropathy.