Therapeutic effects of Rhamnus alaternus on the nephroangiosclerosis in wistar rats.

The buckthorn "Rhamnus alaternus" is a plant used in traditional medicine especially in the treatment of certain diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia. The aim of our study was to analysed and evaluate the effects of buckthorn on nephroangiosclerosis Wistar rats. Thirty male Wistar rats, adult weighing between 120g and 250g were distributed as follows: Five control animals received a standard laboratory diet, thirty four experimental rats received the standard laboratory diet supplemented with palm oil and 4% of NaCl (High Sold Fat Diet). After six month of this diet the HSFD group was subdivided into rats treated for 45 days with aqueous extract of buckthorn or animals HSFD only. Plasma metabolites and endothelin-1 concentration were measured by standard methods, section of kidney were stained by Heindenhain-azan and periodic acid shiff. The examination of renal parenchyma of HSFD rats showed a prominent structural changes such as, obstruction of vascular lumen, ischemia of the glomerular and tubulo-interstitial fibrosis the biochemical and hormonal parameters were significantly improved in the HSFD rats treated with decoction of buckthorn. Moreover, the morphogical changes of the renal parenchyma were attenuated in rats HSFD decoction. The buckthorn attenuates renal parenchymal lesions by aggregating at different levels of rats maintained on HSFD.