Anti-Inflammatory phytochemicals for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy

Abstract

Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia. Persistent hyperglycemia can cause Diabetic nephropathy (DN). It is a major microvascular complication that leads to chronic kidney disease (CKD) that progressively develops into end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It is the most debilitating condition that affects 15-25% of patients with type I diabetes and approximately 30-40% with type II diabetes worldwide. In this review, we aim at various inflammatory mediators and different inflammatory pathways involved in the progression of DN with special emphasis on phytoconstituents which gives protection against DN by acting on these mediators and pathways. The literature was searched using the following keywords: inflammation, anti-inflamatory, phytoconstitutents/ phytochemicals, diabetic nephropathy, clinical, and preclinical studies. The various epidemiological, preclinical, and clinical evidence showed a close relationship between inflammatory response and progression of DN, as such, there is no effective treatment for DN, therefore, there is an unmet need for novel therapeutic approaches to treat them. From ancient times, phytochemicals, also known as phytonutrients, are the bioactive nutrients found in plants and foods, which have proven potentially useful for human well-being. Phytochemicals have demonstrated a promising therapeutic role in nephropathy, principally through the regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation.