Effect of crocin and losartan on biochemical parameters and genes expression of FRMD3 and BMP7 in diabetic rats

BACKGROUND/AIM: Diabetes is a multifactorial and growing disease, one of the severe complications of which is diabetic nephropathy (DN), which is the most common cause of chronic renal failure. FERM domain containing 3 (FRMD3) is responsible for maintaining the shape and integrity of nephron cells, and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) helps maintain function and reduce kidney damage. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of crocin and losartan on biochemical parameters and the expression of FRMD3 and BMP7 genes in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups as healthy, diabetic control (D), crocin, losartan, and diabetic rats treated with losartan-crocin (n = 8). A single dose of STZ (50 mg/kg intraperitoneally injection) was used to induce diabetes. Four weeks after induction of diabetes, rats received crocin (50 mg/kg) and losartan (25 mg/kg) daily for four weeks orally. Rats were sacrificed at the end of the intervention, and blood samples were taken to determine serum levels of glucose, urea, creatinine (Cr), malondialdehyde (MDA), and thiol. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to assess the expression of the FRMD3 and BMP7 genes in the kidney samples. RESULTS: Diabetes induction increased serum levels of glucose, Cr, urea, MDA, and thiol, but decreased BMP7 and FRMD3 genes expression. Treatment with crocin and losartan decreased these biochemical parameters and increased the expression of the BMP7 and FRMD3 genes. CONCLUSION: Crocin may be a promising therapeutic agent for preventing and improving diabetes-related kidney disease due to its antidiabetic and antioxidant properties.