Compound found in some vegetables may reduce diabetes-related kidney damage

Phenethyl isothiocyanate, derived from watercress and other cruciferous vegetables, shows benefits in rats

2021-04-27

(Press-News.org) New research conducted in rats suggests a compound that gives some cruciferous vegetables their pungent taste could help to reverse kidney problems associated with diabetes.

It is estimated that about one-quarter of people with diabetes will eventually develop diabetic nephropathy, a gradual loss of kidney function eventually requiring dialysis. The condition is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease in the U.S. and is also associated with a high risk of heart disease. There is currently no cure.

For the new study, researchers assessed the effects of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) in rats with diabetic nephropathy. PEITC is found in several types of vegetables but is most concentrated in watercress.

"Our study provides, for the first time, evidence that PEITC might be effective as a naturally occurring agent to reverse serious kidney damage in people with diabetes," said lead study author Mohamed El-Sherbiny, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at AlMaarefa University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "Our study introduces mechanistic evidence of how PEITC might manage kidney injury associated with diabetes by targeting multiple interconnected pathways involved in diabetic nephropathy, including inflammation, glycation and oxidative status."

El-Sherbiny will present the research at the END

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