title: Renoprotective, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects of oral low-dose quercetin in the C57BL/6J model of diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the major causes of end-stage renal disease in diabetic patients. Increasing evidence from studies in the rodents has suggested that this disease is associated with increased oxidative stress due to hyperglycemia. In the present study, we evaluated the renoprotective, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects of the flavonoid quercetin in C57BL/6J model of DN.
  
  
  METHODS
  DN was induced by streptozotocin (STZ, 100 mg/kg/day, for 3 days) in adult C57BL/6J mice. Six weeks later, mice were divided into the following groups: diabetic mice treated with quercetin (DQ, 10 mg/kg/day, 4 weeks), diabetic mice treated with vehicle (DV) or non-treated non-diabetic (ND) mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quercetin treatment caused a reduction in polyuria (~45%) and glycemia (~35%), abolished the hypertriglyceridemia and had significant effects on renal function including, decreased proteinuria and high plasma levels of uric acid, urea and creatinine, which were accompanied by beneficial effects on the structural changes of the kidney including glomerulosclerosis. Flow cytometry showed a decrease in oxidative stress and apoptosis in DN mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, these data show that quercetin effectively attenuated STZ-induced cytotoxicity in renal tissue. This study provides convincing experimental evidence and perspectives on the renoprotective effects of quercetin in diabetic mice and outlines a novel therapeutic strategy for this flavonoid in the treatment of DN.
authors.forename: Isabele B S
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Marcella L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Porto
authors.forename: Maria Carmen L F S
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Bianca P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Campagnaro
authors.forename: Thiago M C
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Silvana S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Meyrelles
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Laboratory of Translational Physiology, Health Sciences Center, UFES, Vitoria, Brazil. evasquez@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: Elisardo C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Vasquez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011794:Quercetin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D011794:Quercetin