Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common microvascular complication of
diabetes mellitus (DM) that worsens its morbidity and mortality. There is evidence that camel milk (CM) improves the
glycemic control in DM but its effect on the renal complications especially the DN remains unclear. Thus the current study aimed to characterize the effects of CM treatment on
streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DN. Using STZ-induced diabetes, we investigated the effect of CM treatment on kidney function,
proteinuria, renal Smad1,
collagen type IV (Col4),
blood glucose,
insulin resistance (IR), lipid peroxidation, the
antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD),
catalase (CAT) and
glutathione (GSH). In addition renal morphology was also examined. The current results showed that rats with untreated diabetes exhibited marked
hyperglycemia, IR, high serum
urea and
creatinine levels, excessive
proteinuria, increased renal Smad1 and Col4, glomerular expansion, and extracellular matrix deposition. There was also increased lipid peroxidation products, decreased
antioxidant enzyme activity and GSH levels. Camel milk treatment decreased
blood glucose, IR, and lipid peroxidation.
Superoxide dismutase and CAT expression, CAT activity, and GSH levels were increased. The renoprotective effects of CM were demonstrated by the decreased serum
urea and
creatinine,
proteinuria, Smad1, Col4, and preserved normal tubulo-glomerular morphology. In conclusion, beside its
hypoglycemic action, CM attenuates the early changes of DN, decreased renal Smad1 and Col4. This could be attributed to a primary action on the glomerular mesangial cells, or secondarily to the
hypoglycemic and
antioxidant effects of CM. The protective effects of CM against DN support its use as an adjuvant anti-diabetes
therapy.