Mid-dose losartan mitigates diabetes-induced hepatic damage by regulating iNOS, eNOS, VEGF, and NF-κB expressions

Abstract

Background/aim: Losartan, an antihypertensive drug, is highly preferred in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertensionbecause of its retarding effect on diabetic nephropathy. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effect of different doses oflosartan on hepatic damage in a streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg)-induced DM model in rats.Materials and methods: In this study, five different groups were formed: control, DM, low-dose losartan (5 mg/kg), mid-dose losartan(20 mg/kg), and high-dose losartan (80 mg/kg). Liver tissues of experimental groups were evaluated immunohistochemically forTUNEL, iNOS, eNOS, VEGF, and NF-κB pathways. In addition to immunohistochemical analysis, analyses of SOD and MDA, whichare oxidative stress markers, were also performed and the results were evaluated together.Results: When biochemical and immunohistochemical findings were evaluated together, it was found that the results obtained from themid-dose losartan group were closer to those of the control than the other groups.Conclusion: This study indicated that mid-dose losartan administration may have a therapeutic effect by inhibiting apoptosis andregulating iNOS, eNOS, VEGF, and NF-κB protein expressions in DM-induced hepatic damage.