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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is an alarming consequence of diabetes mellitus, characterized by progressive kidney dysfunction and damage. Despite advancements in diabetes management, the prevalence of DN remains a significant concern. Natural compounds such as ferulic acid (FA) and protocatechuic acid (PCA) have shown potential in ameliorating diabetic complications. This research paper investigates the individual and combined effects of FA and PCA in an experimental model of DN in rats. Male rats were assigned into five groups: Control, Diabetic control, FAtreated (100 mg/kg, p.o.), PCA-treated (100 mg/kg, p.o.), and FA + PCA-treated groups. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection (55 mg/kg, i.p.), and the treatment groups received oral administration of FA, PCA, or their combination for eight weeks. Renal function, oxidative stress markers, and histopathological changes were assessed at the end of the study. The diabetic control group exhibited impaired renal function, increased oxidative stress, and histological abnormalities in the kidney tissues. Treatment with FA, PCA, and FA + PCA significantly improved renal function, as evidenced by reduced serum creatinine, cystatin C, blood urea nitrogen, and urine albumin levels. Moreover, these treatments led to a decline in oxidative stress markers and restoration of antioxidant enzyme activities. The combination of FA and PCA showed a synergistic effect, demonstrating a more pronounced improvement in renal parameters and histological changes compared to individual treatments. These findings highlight the potential renoprotective effects of FA and PCA in diabetic nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Flavonoids, a group of polyphenols responsible for protective role against many diseased conditions, provide antioxidant activity which is the reason for their medicinal properties. Tactile allodynia is a behavioral biomarker of neuropathy that is well estimated by von Frey filaments and Randall–Selitto test. Objective: Ficus carica Lam. leaves were studied for the conformation of flavonoids in ethyl acetate fraction of methanolic extract (FCEA) using GC-HRMS for the identification of flavonoids. It was analyzed for antioxidant activity by in vitro free radical scavenging activity, performed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) followed by blood glucose-level estimation, evaluation of neuropathic pain, and kidney and liver function tests in diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: The shade-dried leaves of F. carica Lam. were extracted with methanol and after that fractionated using ethyl acetate (FCEA). The characterization of FCEA was established using GC-HRMS. In vitro free radical scavenging activity was performed using DPPH assay. Diabetes was induced using streptozotocin (40 mg/kg/intraperitoneally), and effects of FCEA were studied on blood glucose level, neuropathy markers, and liver and kidney functions of diabetic rats. Results: GC-HRMS results highlighted the presence of quercetin, kaempferol, and chrysin in FCEA with free radical scavenging activity of 78.35% and IC50 value of 5.508 μM. FCEA reduces glucose levels and also shows protective effects in case of diabetic neuropathy as it increases the threshold of withdrawal latency in tactile allodynia and also decreases the serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels. Conclusion: The protective effects of FCEA against diabetic neuropathy, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects might be due to strong antioxidant property of important flavonoids present which is confirmed in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]