Robinetin Alleviates Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Nephropathy in Rats by Mitigating Oxidative Stress and Inhibiting Inflammatory Cascades

Background Diabetic nephropathy is a pivotal cause of kidney morbidity, affecting a major portion of individuals with diabetes and frequently progressing to renal failure requiring dialysis or transplantation. There is a growing need to identify safer therapeutic alternatives, such as plant-derived bioactive compounds, which may offer renoprotection without side effects. Purpose This investigation explores the therapeutic efficacy of robinetin on a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy rat model. Materials and Methods In experimental rats, diabetic nephropathy was triggered via administration of 65 mg/kg of STZ. Subsequently, the diabetic rats received daily treatment with robinetin for a duration of 8 weeks. Upon termination of the experimental period, physiological and metabolic parameters, including body weight, urine output, fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1C ) levels, were quantified. To assess renal functional integrity, serum concentrations of creatinine and urea were measured. Furthermore, the renal tissue was processed to determine the oxidative stress markers and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Finally, histopathological examinations were performed on harvested kidney specimens to visualize structural alterations. Results Administration of robinetin significantly ameliorated the metabolic disturbances in rats with STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy, as evidenced by restored body weight and insulin, and reduced FBG, HbA 1C , and urine output levels. Furthermore, robinetin treatment effectively lowered the concentrations of serum renal dysfunction markers, indicating improved kidney function. Robinetin also demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant efficacies, primarily diminishing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and neutralizing oxidative stress by boosting endogenous antioxidant defenses. These biochemical improvements were further corroborated by histopathological analysis, which confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of robinetin in preserving renal structural integrity. Conclusion In conclusion, the present findings demonstrate that robinetin exerts a significant therapeutic effect against STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy in rats. Altogether, these findings provide compelling evidence that robinetin exerts a potent therapeutic effect against diabetic nephropathy.