Renal-protective effect of non-depressor dose of cicletanine in streptozotocin diabetic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the renal benefits of cicletanine (CIC) in diabetic rats with renal impairment.


METHODS
Hemi-nephrectomized streptozotocin-diabetic Wistar-Kyoto Izmo rats (WKYIzm) (10 weeks old) were randomly assigned to receive vehicle or a low or high dose of CIC (30 or 100 mg/kg per day, orally) for 12 weeks.


RESULTS
The blood pressure was raised slightly but not significantly in this model. An anti-hypertensive effect of CIC was not significantly observed. However, the sub-depressor doses of CIC significantly and dose-dependently decreased urinary albumin excretion. These results were confirmed by morphological analysis of kidneys in each group of rats. CIC treatment significantly and effectively protected against an increase in the percentage of focal glomerular sclerosis. CIC did not affect urinary and blood glucose concentrations at either dose.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that CIC has a renal-protective action, which is not related to improvement of diabetes or of high blood pressure in this model. The action might be due to the reduction of intraglomerular capillary pressure, although the mechanism remains to be further investigated.
Kohzuki
M
M
Division of Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. kohzuki@mail.cc.tohoku.ac.jp
Wu
X M
XM
Kamimoto
M
M
Yoshida
K
K
Watanabe
M
M
Hashimoto
M
M
Kanazawa
M
M
Saito
T
T
Yasujima
M
M
Sato
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011725:Pyridines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D013311:Streptozocin
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D020011:Protective Agents; D011725:Pyridines; D013311:Streptozocin; C038068:cicletanine