Effect of vegetable and animal protein sources on renal failure in diabetic rats

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the effects of vegetable and animal proteins on renal failure in diabetic rats. Design: We used male, adult Wistar rats [n = 90 rats] in which diabetic renal disease was induced. Intervention: Rats were fed either a control diet or diets in which the protein came from vegetable [soy, lentil, or white bean] or animal [fish, beef, chicken, or eggs] sources. Main outcome measures: Urinary levels of total lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol fractions, liver enzymes function, total glucose, bilirubin, sodium [Na], potassium [K], albumin, creatinine and urea nitrogen were determined. Results: The fish protein and white bean protein diets exhibited the best results for lipid profiles in total lipid and triglycerides on renal failure in diabetic rats. Total cholesterol was decreased in the fish and soy protein diets. The serum liver enzyme activities of aspartate and alanine amino transferases showed that all protein sources appeared to perform better than the control group with respect to enzyme activities. However, the fish protein group exhibited the best results. In terms of the effects of the different protein sources on glucose [Glu], the fish protein group exhibited the lowest mean Glu level of all of the groups studied. Moreover, these levels were not significantly different from those of the white bean protein group compared with both control groups. The animal protein groups excreted higher urine volumes and more albumin than the plant protein groups. The creatinine and urea nitrogen levels in the fish protein group were similar to those of the soy group. The white bean protein group exhibited the highest Na levels among the experimental groups, whereas the egg protein group exhibited the lowest Na levels. Conclusion: A diet containing low protein fish may slow the progression of chronic renal failure in diabetic rats.