Protective effect of seabuckthorn seed protein on renal function in diabetic mice

• SSP had stable hypoglycemic activity and enhanced the glucose tolerance of the mice. • SSP could reduce serum creatinine, uric acid, AGEs and MDA in renal tissue. • SSP avoid renal lesion via hypoglycemic effect and mitigation of oxidative damage. Diabetes often causes serious kidney damage, it has been reported that seabuckthorn seed protein (SSP) has significant hypoglycemic activity, but the specific effect on renal function has not been reported. This study aims at deeply exploring the renoprotective benefits of SSP. SSP (protein content 80.23 ± 2.0%) was used to treat the db/db mice (50–250 mg/kg/d). Such SSP treatment could significantly reduce the typical symptoms of renal dysfunction including body weight, kidney index, tissue, blood and urinary parameters. SSP had stable hypoglycemic activity and enhanced the glucose tolerance of db/db mice, in addition, SSP was more effective than metformin in reducing proteinuria, serum creatinine, serum uric acid, serum AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) and MDA (Malondialdehyde) in renal tissue. SSP exerted actions against renal lesion likely via hypoglycemic effect, and mitigation of oxidative damage. Thus, it is technically feasible and economically viable to generate SSP as a potential renoprotective protein resource for the prevention of diabetic nephropathy.