Effects of virgin coconut oil on renal dysfunction in alloxan induced diabetic rats on biochemical and histological parameters

Introduction and Aim: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease caused by excess glucose in the blood due to defects in insulin secretion, action, or both. Normal fasting blood glucose level in humans ranges between 80–100 mg/dL and in diabetes this blood glucose level is persistently raised. Renal dysfunction is the reduced capacity of the kidney to excrete metabolic products which accumulate in the body system and can be detected via renal function tests. Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of kidney disease in diabetic patient and is one of leading cause for death. Therefore, present study was undertaken to see the effect of virgin oil on kidney damage in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Adult male albino rats approximately 150-200 g body weight were taken for the study. Animals were divided into the 4 groups with 6 rats in each group. After 3 weeks of desired protocol animals were anesthetized using Pentobarbitone. Blood sample was collected for biochemical estimation like blood glucose, serum urea, creatinine, BUN and serum electrolytes. Histopathological slides were made for histological parameters. Analysis was done using the unpaired Student’s‘t’ test. Significance of the test was set at P<0.05. Results: A significant increase in the blood glucose level was observed in Gr. III. Treatment with virgin coconut oil in alloxan fed rats reduced the blood glucose level significantly. The level of urea as well as BUN in Gr. III and decreased in Gr. IV when compared to GR.III. The level of urea and BUN in rats fed with virgin coconut oil in alloxan treated rats (Gr. IV) was significantly lower compared to GR.III. The virgin coconut oil fed rats (Gr. II) showed the normal architecture of the kidney. But the photomicrograph of the rats injected with alloxan showed oedematous cells in PCT, DCT and Bowman’s capsular capillaries. But when the alloxan treated rats were fed with virgin coconut oil kidney showed almost normal architecture. Conclusion: Hence, the present study showed that diabetes mellitus induced by alloxan-lead renal dysfunction and can be significantly reversed by dietary consumption of virgin coconut oil.