The PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF SELENIUM ON DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY IN WISTAR RATS

Abstract

The objective of the present paper is to study and evaluate the effect of selenium supplementation on diabetic nephropathy caused by reactive species generated following hyperglycemia.

This study conducted on thirty-five male albino Wistar rats divided into five groups : the first group serves as control (C), the second group was treated by intraperitoneal injection of selenium (sodium selenite ) at 1.89 mg/kg / day,  regarding the 3rd  groups diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of alloxan (single dose) (DM). One of the diabetic groups was treated by intraperitoneal injection of insulin, 3 IU/100 g PC twice a day (DTins).  Another diabetic group is treated with 1.89 mg/kg/day of sodium selenite intraperitoneally (DTSe), and this for 21 days (the two groups treated with selenium were previously treated by gavage of 2 mg/kg/day for 10 days by the same trace element).

The results showed in untreated diabetic rats, a drop in body weight, and an increase in blood glucose (13.87mmol/L ± 0.62), urea (10.58 mmol/l ± 0.59), creatinine (64 µmol/l ± 1.3), and phosphorus (1.8 mmol/l ± 0.2).  A decrease in serum calcium (1.9 mmol/l±0.1), total protein (58g/l ± 5), albumin (32 g/l ± 3), insulin (0.64 µ UI/ml ± 0.06) and enzymatic activity of serum G6PDH (109.8 m UI/10GR ± 3). With a decrease in anti-oxidant defense, which results in a reduced renal tissue content in GSH (55 nmol/mg of proteins ± 2.2) and of GPx (0.198 µmol/mg of P ± 0.007) and catalase (14.64 µmol H₂O₂/mn/mg of P ± 0.8) activities. Meanwhile an increase activity of GSTs (0.791 nmol/mn/mg of P ± 0.03) and the concentration of TBARS (0.382 nmol/mg of P ± 0.02) were observed.

Sodium selenite induced the antioxidant defense of renal tissue, which protected it from the free radical damage that can be caused by the injection of Alloxan.