Aqueous extract of Etlingera elatior flowers improved blood glucose control, kidney function and histology of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most critical health problem of chronic renal disorder that has become a major reason in medical treatments of dialysis and kidney transplantation. In Malaysia, Etlingera elatior has been used as a native medicine to reduce blood sugar among diabetic patients. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effect of crude aqueous E. elatior flowers extract (AEEFE) on streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetic rats taken orally. The effective dose in lowering blood glucose level in acute test was found to be 300 mg/kg in the present study, and this was further evaluated in sub-acute test. The fasting blood glucose level and the body weight of the rats were weekly monitored. At the end of the study, biochemical parameters were subjected and the kidney histology was examined using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and scanning electron microscope (SEM). From the results, AEEFE appeared to significantly reduce the blood glucose level compared to the untreated diabetic rat with consistent body weight. In addition, blood urea nitrogen (BUN)has also shown a significant decrease in AEEFE-treated diabetic rats compared to the control group. The histological analysis of kidney rats treated with AEEFEillustrated no change in the size and structure of glomeruli with well-defined glomerular capillaries. Likewise, no mesangial hypercellularity was found. SEM analysis has supported present findings by demonstrating well branched podocytes with fenestrated foot processes arranged in parallel. Consequently, it is suggested that AEEFE has high potential to reduce blood glucose level without histological changesin renal function system of diabetic patients.