Our data demonstrated the association of MetS components with CKD in our population and revealed that susceptibility to CKD was increased with the number of defining features of MetS. These findings prompt prospective studies to determine the impact of preventing and detecting MetS on the risk of developing CKD.

Hypoglycemic, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant activities of fennel have been recorded in numerous investigations. The study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of fennel or its active component trans‐Anethole (TA) on streptozotocin‐induced liver injury in rats. Rats were injected with a single dose of STZ (65 mg/kg) and treated with fennel (200 and 400 mg/kg), TA (80 mg/kg), or metformin (300 mg/kg) for 35 days. Serum lipid profile and liver enzyme activity (aminotransferases), oxidative stress markers, and the degree of fibrosis in the liver tissue were assessed. Both fennel and TA decreased blood glucose levels, reduced liver enzyme activity, food, and water intake, and intensity of weight loss, reduced serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐c), and increased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c). Additionally, fennel and TA significantly reduced MDA concentration while increased CAT activity and thiol content and reduced the degree of injury and fibrosis in the liver of diabetic rats. Our results suggest that fennel seed extract and its active compound TA are able to protect the liver against diabetes‐induced hepatic injury in rats, probably via hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects.

The current study suggests that thymoquinone is able to improve the UUO-induced renal tissue damage. These favorable actions of thymoquinone on UUO model in rat are comparable with the well-known RAS inhibitors captopril and losartan.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the main factor leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and subsequent morbidity and mortality. Importantly, the prevalence of DN is continuously increasing in developed countries. Many rodent models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been established to elucidate the pathogenesis of diabetes and examine novel therapies against DN. These models are developed by chemical, surgical, genetic, drug, and diet/nutrition interventions or combination of two or more methods. The main characteristics of DN including a decrease in renal function, albuminuria and mesangiolysis, mesangial expansion, and nodular glomerulosclerosis should be exhibited by an animal model of DN. However, a rodent model possessing all of the abovementioned features of human DN has not yet been developed. Furthermore, mice of different genetic backgrounds and strains show different levels of susceptibility to DN with respect to albuminuria and development of glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions. Therefore, the type of diabetes, development of nephropathy, duration of the study, cost of maintaining and breeding, and animals’ mortality rate are important factors that might be affected by the type of DN model. In this review, we discuss the pros and cons of different rodent models of diabetes that are being used to study DN.