Background: Asparagus africanus has been claimed to possess antidiabetic activity in the ethnomedicinal literature. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of A. africanus (EAA) in control of renal complications in experimentally-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus in Wistar rats.Methods: Prior to the administration in rats, the acute toxicity effect of the plant was assessed in mice. Fat diet/ streptozotocin -induced type 2 diabetic Wistar rats treated orally with the EAA. Body weight was measured at specific intermissions during a treatment of 28 days. At the end of the treatment period, Kidney weight and serum and urine creatinine, albumin and urea were investigated. It was also evaluated the renal redox biomarkers along with histopathological examination of the kidney.
Results:In diabetes rats, the aqueous extract of A. africanus significantly increased body weight. Additionally, aqueous extract of A. africanus also decreased the level of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in serum with high level in urine. Moreover, aqueous extract of A. africanus significantly reduced the presence of albumin in urine. Furthermore, aqueous extract of A. africanus significantly increased the renal antioxidant biomarkers but reduced the oxidative inducing in low oxidative stress imbalance. The aqueous extract of A. africanus significantly reduced glomerulosclerosis and tubular atrophy.
Conclusion:Aqueous extract of A. africanus possesses a promised potential to slow the dysfunction in renal function, oxidative imbalance and tissue damage in diabetic rats.