Role of berberine in the prevention of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus via the modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and renal tissues architecture

Diabetes mellitus (DM), a well-known non-communicable chronic disease, is a major public health concern as its global prevalence has significantly increased among adults. Among various secondary diseases that develop in the later stages of DM, renal diseases are one of the most significant complications. Current treatment methods, including the use of artificial insulin and hypoglycemic drugs, may offer temporary relief, but their long-term use can lead to additional complications. In this context, berberine (BBR), a commonly reported hypoglycemic agent with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, was used to assess kidney damage in animal models induced by diabetes. In this study, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of BBR (50 mg/kg b.w.) in regulating insulin levels, glucose levels, kidney function markers, oxidative stress, and pro-inflammatory markers in STZ (55 mg/kg b.w.)-induced diabetic rats over an eight-week treatment period. In addition, renal tissue architecture and fibrosis in the normal control, disease control, and BBR-treated groups were assessed using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H E), Masson Trichrome, and Sirius Red staining techniques. The results showed that BBR significantly altered these parameters in the treatment group, reducing the DM severity by decreasing oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis, while preserving renal tissue architecture. Furthermore, the expression pattern of IL-6 was examined using immunohistochemistry, and it was observed that IL-6 expression was lower in the BBR-treated group compared to the disease control group. These findings support the idea that BBR could be a valuable compound for reducing the burden of diabetes and its associated complications by alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress, and may help restore renal tissue architecture.