Rhododendron groenlandicum (Labrador tea), an antidiabetic plant from the traditional pharmacopoeia of the Canadian Eastern James Bay Cree,improves renal integrity in the diet-induced obese mouse model |
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Authors: | Shilin Li Antoine Brault Mayra Sanchez Villavicencio |
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Institution: | 1. Natural Health Products and Metabolic Diseases Laboratory, CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Department of Pharmacology, Université De Montréal, Montreal, Canada;2. CRCHUM, Montreal Diabetes Research Center, Montreal, Canada |
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Abstract: | Content Our team has identified Labrador tea Rhododendron groenlandicum L. (Ericaceae)] as a potential antidiabetic plant from the traditional pharmacopoeia of the Eastern James Bay Cree. In a previous in vivo study, the plant extract was tested in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese model using C57BL/6 mice and it improved glycaemia, insulinaemia and glucose tolerance.Objective In the present study, we assessed the plant’s potential renoprotective effects.Materials and methods Rhododendron groenlandicum was administered at 250?mg/kg/d to mice fed HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity and mild diabetes. Histological (periodic acid–Schiff (PAS), Masson and Oil Red O staining), immunohistochemical (IHC) and biochemical parameters were assessed to evaluate the renoprotective potential of R. groenlandicum treatment for an additional 8 weeks.Results Microalbuminuria and renal fibrosis were developed in HFD-fed mice. Meanwhile, there was a tendency for R. groenlandicum to improve microalbuminuria, with the values of albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) reducing from 0.69 to 0.53. Renal fibrosis value was originally 4.85 arbitrary units (AU) in HFD-fed mice, dropped to 3.27 AU after receiving R. groenlandicum treatment. Rhododendron groenlandicum reduced renal steatosis by nearly one-half, whereas the expression of Bcl-2-modifying factor (BMF) diminished from 13.96 AU to 9.43 AU.Discussion and conclusions Taken altogether, the results suggest that R. groenlandicum treatment can improve renal function impaired by HFD. |
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Keywords: | BMF fibrosis HFD microalbuminuria vacuoles |
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