title: Fenugreek powder exerts protective effects on alcoholised rats' kidney, highlighted using ultrastructural studies.
abstract: Trigonella foenum-graecum (TFG) seeds exert a protective antioxidant effect and membrane protector through their rich content in polyphenolic flavonoids. The previous research focused on the hypoglycemic action of the seeds, with scarce studies on the preventive effects in the pathology of the kidney. Our work was conducted on an experimental in vivo model; the animals were given two different concentrations of TFG seeds, consequently to alcohol intoxication. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed vacuolation in cytoplasm, edemas at the apical pole of the nephrocytes, diffusion of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial matrix and the increase in number of the lysozymes and especially peroxisomes, as well as the congestion of blood capillaries. In the case of the groups T5R and T10R, which received Trigonella powder together with ethanol, the structural and ultrastructural changes produced by the ethylic intoxication were more reduced, being somewhat improved in the T5R group. Therefore, the majority of the cells nuclei have retained their spherical shape, being at the same time predominantly euchromatic, with little heterochromatin and evenly dispersed. Our results suggest the use of Trigonella seeds as a food supplement to prevent cellular deterioration and improve renal morphology and function.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, "Vasile Goldis" Western University, General Surgery Unit, Emergency County Hospital, Arad, Romania; carmen.neamtu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: George Ciprian
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Pribac
authors.forename: Mircea Florin
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sferdian
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neamţu
authors.forename: Constantin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crăciun
authors.forename: Corina Luminiţa
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Roşioru
authors.forename: Aurel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardelean
authors.forename: Bogdan Dan
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Totolici
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029910:Trigonella
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D000431:Ethanol; C056164:fenugreek seed meal