Tetrahydrocurcumin Add‐On therapy to losartan in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy decreases blood pressure and markers of kidney injury

Abstract Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), a principal metabolite of curcumin, was tested in a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. THC was administered via daily oral gavage with the lipid carrier polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC) as add‐on therapy to losartan (angiotensin receptor blocker) to examine effects on kidney oxidative stress and fibrosis. A combination of unilateral nephrectomy, high‐fat diet and low‐dose streptozotocin was used to induce diabetic nephropathy in male Sprague–Dawley rats. Animals with fasting blood glucose >200 mg/dL were randomized to PPC,