title: Aqueous extract of Berberis integerrima root improves renal dysfunction in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Barberry root extract contains various alkaloids that are considered as antioxidants. Beneficial effect of aqueous extract of Berberis integerrima root (AEBIR) was evaluated for renal function in diabetic rats induced by STZ.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetes was induced by i.p. injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg bw) to rats, after 15 h of fasting. Diabetic rats were randomly grouped and treated daily with AEBIR and glibenclamide by gavage for 42 days. After 6 weeks of study, all the rats were sacrificed and some biochemical parameters of serum and urine were measured and their kidneys tissues were processed for light microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Streptozotocin induced a significant rise in fasting blood glucose, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urine glucose, urine protein, urine albumin, and water intake and a significant decrease in body weight, serum protein, urine urea, and urine creatinine. There was a significant restoration of these parameters to near normal after administration of the AEBIR and also by glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg bw). The activity of the extract at dose of 500 mg/kg in all parameters except blood glucose and urine glucose was more than that of the standard drug, glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg, p.o.). Histopathological changes of kidney samples were comparable with respective control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that aqueous extract of Berberis Integerrima root improves renal dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats through controlling blood glucose and renal protective effects.
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, I. R. Iran.
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Ashraf
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, I. R. Iran.
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Heidari
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, I. R. Iran.
authors: Vahid
authors: V
authors: Nejati
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, I. R. Iran.
authors: Minoo
authors: M
authors: Ilkhanipoor
keywords: Berberis integerrima; Diabetes mellitus; Renal protective; Streptozotocin