Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a long-term complication of diabetic mellitus. Numerous reports have suggested that oxidative stress is defined as the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) surpassing existing anti-oxidative defense mechanisms, and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Rosa laevigata Michx. (RLM) is the commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of chronic urinary tract infections and anti-oxidative treatments, and has been shown to have a renal protective effect in diabetic rats. In the present study, we further investigate the effects of RLM on oxidative stress in the kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with DN. Our results suggest that RLM significantly ameliorates renal dysfunction in diabetic rats. The protection against the development of DN by RLM treatment involves increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase and total anti-oxidant capacity, decreasing the levels of malondialdehyde and ROS, and inhibiting the expression of nuclear factor-κB p65 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 at both the protein and mRNA levels with a concomitant increase in the expression of the IκBα protein. These results highlight the potential therapeutic application of RLM for the treatment of DN.

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