Purpose: The activity of the methanol extract of the whole plant of  Kalanchoe crenata (MEKC) was studied for the treatment of diabetes-induced nephropathy in rats.

Methods: Five-day old Wistar rats received a single intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection (90 µg/kg body weight) to induce diabetes. Kidney disease onset in the rats was observed six weeks after diabetes induction. The rats were orally administered MEKC (0, 50 and 68 mg/kg) or glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), once daily for 6 weeks. Blood and urine glucose, proteins, lipids, creatinine, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were then evaluated.

Results: After 6 weeks of treatment, 50 and 68 mg/kg MEKC, and glibenclamide significantly (p < 0.01) decreased glycaemia (-35, -44 and -39 %), glycosuria (-38, -47 and -61 %) and proteinuria (-82, -80 and -72 %) in diabetes-nephropathic rats. The extract (68 mg/kg) decreased MDA by up to -44 % (blood), -35 % (liver) and -34 % (kidney); increased SOD up to 257 % (blood), 116 % (liver) and 118 % (kidney); and CAT by up to 176 % (blood), 78 % (liver) and 96 % (kidney) in the rats, compared with nephropathic control. The extract (50 and 68 mg/kg, respectively) lowered (p < 0.01) total cholesterolemia (-24 and -27 %), blood triglycerides (-55 and -54 %), blood LDL cholesterol (-48 and -59 %), but increased blood HDL cholesterol (71 and 58 %). Overall, atherogenic index was decreased by 31 %.

Conclusion: The results indicate that MEKC holds promise for the development of a standardized phytomedicine for diabetes mellitus and kidney disease treatment.