The ethanol extract of Garcinia kola seeds ameliorates renal injury in HFD/STZ-induced diabetic rats and inhibits mesangial cells apoptosis via improving mitochondrial dysfunction

Abstract

Garcinia kola seeds, the mature seeds of Garcinia kola Heckel, are recognized for their potential to alleviate symptoms associated with hyperglycemia and hepatic dysfunction. However, its efficacy in diabetic nephropathy (DN) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the potential benefits of the ethanol extract of Garcinia kola seeds(GK) on apoptosis in rat glomerular mesangial cells (HBZY-1) induced by H2O2, as well as its effects on DN in rats induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozotocin (STZ). Our findings indicate that GK significantly attenuated apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and activation of caspase 3/9 in H2O2-treated HBZY-1 cells. Furthermore, 8-week treatment with GK resulted in improvements in blood glucose levels, renal function, renal oxidative stress and proinflammatory markers. Histopathological analysis revealed amelioration of renal damage, accompanied by reduced activation of caspase 3. These results suggest that Garcinia kola seeds holds promise as a potential adjunctive therapy for DN management.

Keywords

• GK
• Diabetic nephropathy
• Apoptosis
• Mitochondrial dysfunction