EGCG might be regarded as a prospective therapeutic candidate in modulating diabetic nephropathy. - GreenMedInfo Summary

Apoptosis is an active response of cells to altered microenvironments which is characterized by cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation, in variety of cell types such as renal epithelial cells, endothelial cells, mesangial cells and podocytes. Hyperglycemia is among the micro environmental factors that may facilitate apoptosis which plays a decisive role in the initiation of diabetic nephropathy. Transforming growth factor-β, emerges as a powerful fibrogenic factor in the development of renal hypertrophy. Although, a number of potential treatment strategies exist for diabetic nephropathy, considering the ease of use and bioavailability, phytochemicals stands distinct as the preeminent option. EGCG, a green tea catechin is one such phytochemical which possess hypoglycemic and anti-fibrotic activity. The present study aims to explore the potential of EGCG to prevent apoptosis in high-fat diet and STZ induced diabetic nephropathy rats by assessing renal function, pro-fibrotic marker, and the expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins. Our results validate EGCG as a potential anti-apoptotic agent evidently by improving renal function via down regulating TGF-β, consequently ameliorating diabetic nephropathy. In accordance, EGCG might be regarded as a prospective therapeutic candidate in modulating diabetic nephropathy, thus being a promising treatment. Key words: Diabetic nephropathy, EGCG, High-fat diet, STZ, TGF-β, Apoptosis.