Improvement of ginkgolide B on diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rats

Aim: The goal of this study was to explore ginkgolide B as a therapy for amelioration of diabetic nephropathy. Methods: Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: the control group, control treatment group, diabetes group, and the diabetes treatment group. Rats from the diabetes group and the diabetes treatment group were intraperitoneally injected with STZ (70 mg/kg) to induce diabetes. After 3 days, rats from the control and diabetes treatment groups received ginkgolide B, and animals of the control and diabetes groups received control diet. After administration of ginkgolide B for 8 weeks, the kidneys were collected for histological examination and analysis of Western blot. Blood samples were used to determine renal function. Results: Compared with the control group, levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum were significantly increased in the diabetes group, and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was decreased. Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 was increased in the diabetes group. Treatment with ginkgolide B significantly reduced the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and MDA in serum, and 24 hour urea protein. Ginkgolide B significantly decreased expression of TNF-alpha, IL-6, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in the kidney from rats in the diabetes treatment group compared with the diabetes group. Levels of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and Nrf-2 were increased in kidney in the diabetes treatment group compared with the diabetes group. Conclusion: The results suggest that ginkgolide B ameliorates diabetic nephropathy via improving antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions, and easing kidney fibrosis.