Metabolic syndrome (MS) is the association of three or more pathologies among which obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and diabetes are included. It causes oxidative stress (OS) and renal dysfunction. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (HSL) is a source of natural antioxidants that may control the renal damage caused by the MS. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of a 2% HSL infusion on renal function in a MS rat model induced by the administration of 30% sucrose in drinking water. 24 male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: Control rats, MS rats and MS + HSL rats. MS rats had increased body weight, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA index, and leptin (p ≤ 0.04). Renal function was impaired by an increase in perfusion pressure in the isolated and perfused kidney, albuminuria (p ≤ 0.03), and by a decrease in clearance of creatinine (p ≤ 0.04). The activity of some antioxidant enzymes including the superoxide dismutase isoforms, peroxidases, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase was decreased (p ≤ 0.05). Lipoperoxidation and carbonylation were increased (p ≤ 0.001). The nitrates/nitrites ratio, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione levels and vitamin C were decreased (p ≤ 0.03). The treatment with 2% HSL reversed these alterations. The results suggest that the treatment with 2% HSL infusion protects renal function through its natural antioxidants which favor an improved renal vascular response. The infusion contributes to the increase in the glomerular filtration rate, by promoting an increase in the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems leading to a decrease in OS and reestablishing the normal renal function.
Keywords: Hibiscus sabdariffa L.; kidney; metabolic syndrome; oxidative stress; renal function.