Pathogenesis of Diabetic Nephropathy and Potential Therapeutic Effect of Curcumin: a Review

Chronic diabetes mellitus is associated with various complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, vasculopathy, dermatopathy and encephalopathy. Nephropathy is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus, and the morbidity and mortality due to diabetic nephropathy is constantly progressing in industrialized nations. Diabetic nephropathy is a leading cause of end-stage renal failure worldwide. Its morphologic characteristics include glomerular hypertrophy, basement membrane thickening, mesangial expansion, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis and arteriolar thickening. Numerous reports have demonstrated that oxidative stress induced by diabetes plays an important role in the development and progression of diabetic vascular complications including nephropathy. Biomarkers for oxidative damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins are also supporting the concept of increased oxidative stress in diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. The present review has been undertaken to communicate the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, the role of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species as well as antioxidant property of Curcumin in ameliorating diabetic nephropathy.