Renoprotective effect of Caralluma fimbriata against high-fat diet-induced oxidative stress in Wistar rats

The current study was designed to evaluate the renoprotective effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Caralluma fimbriata (CFE) against high-fat diet-induced oxidative stress in Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (C), control treated with CFE (C + CFE), high-fat diet fed (HFD), high-fat diet fed treated with CFE (HFD + CFE), and high-fat diet fed treated with metformin (HFD + metformin). CFE was orally administered (200 mg/kg body weight) to Groups C + CFE and HFD + CFE rats for 90 days. Renal functional markers such as, urea, uric acid, and creatinine levels in plasma were quantified during the experimental period. At the end of the experimental period, activities of transaminases and oxidative stress markers, i.e., reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and activities of antioxidant enzymes were assayed in renal tissue. Coadministration of CFE along with HF-diet in Group HFD + CFE prevented the rise in the levels of plasma urea, uric acid, and creatinine, and elevated activities of renal transaminases with decreased protein content of Group HFD (p < 0.05). Establishment of oxidative stress in Group HFD, as evident from elevated lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation levels with depleted levels of GSH, and decreased activities of GSH dependent and independent antioxidant enzymes, was prevented in Groups HFD + CFE and HFD + metformin rats. Further, there were no deviations in the studied parameters but there was improved antioxidant status of Group C + CFE from Group C which revealed the nontoxic nature of CFE even under chronic treatment. Thus, CFE treatment effectively alleviated the HF-diet induced renal damage. Hence, this plant could be used as an adjuvant therapy for the prevention and/or management of HF-diet induced renal damage.