A Review of Natural Products for Prevention of Acute Kidney Injury

Abstract

Background and Objectives: acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly called acute renal failure (ARF), is commonly defined as an abrupt decline in renal function, clinically manifesting as a reversible acute increase in nitrogen waste products—measured by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels—over the course of hours to weeks. AKI occurs in about 20% of all hospitalized patients and is more common in the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of AKI, and to detect and treat early, since it is known that a prolonged period of kidney injury increases cardiovascular complications and the risk of death. Despite advances in modern medicine, there are no consistent treatment strategies for preventing the progression to chronic kidney disease. Through many studies, the safety and efficacy of natural products have been proven, and based on this, the time and cost required for new drug development can be reduced. In addition, research results on natural products are highly anticipated in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. In relation to AKI, many papers have reported that many natural products can prevent and treat AKI. Conclusions: in this paper, the results of studies on natural products related to AKI were found and summarized, and the mechanism by which the efficacy of AKI was demonstrated was reviewed. Many natural products show that AKI can be prevented and treated, suggesting that these natural products can help to develop new drugs. In addition, we may be helpful to elucidate additional mechanisms and meta-analysis in future natural product studies.

5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Improves Kidney Function in Acute Kidney Injury through Activation of Nrf2 and Antioxidant Defense

“…In line with the findings from clinical and animal studies, we observed that rats with ischemia-reperfusion had severely impaired kidney function and increased oxidative stress. Targeting oxidative stress is emerging as a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of AKI and other diseases [ 14 , 18 , 44 ]. Folate (folic acid) is an essential micronutrient for DNA synthesis and one-carbon reactions in mammalian cells.…”

“…Currently, there are no standard pharmacological agents clinically approved to treat AKI effectively. Early detection and prevention are the key strategies for AKI management [ 14 , 15 ]. According to a commentary on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) clinical practice guidelines for AKI, the supply of adequate nutrients plays a vital role in reducing metabolic complications in AKI patients [ 16 ].…”

“…Targeting oxidative stress has been implicated in improving clinical outcomes in patients with kidney transplantation [ 18 ]. Previous studies reported renal protective effects of antioxidants against ischemia-reperfusion-induced kidney injury [ 12 , 14 , 21 ]. Aside from its essential role in growth and development, folic acid also has an antioxidant effect including free radical scavenging and activation of cellular antioxidant defence [ 2 , 3 , 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”

Natural Compounds Targeting VEGFRs in Kidney Cancer: An In silico Prediction

“…The compounds recommended for kidney cancer were searched both in some databases such as NPACT (Naturally occurring Plant-based Anticancerous Compound-Activity-Target DataBase), CTD (The Comparative Toxicogenomics Database), and in the literature (Haque et al, 2017;Prša et al, 2020;Kang et al, 2021;Molaei et al, 2021;Wang et al, 2021). From the search, about five hundred natural compounds were found against kidney damage and cancer.…”

Prevention of LPS-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Mice by Bavachin and Its Potential Mechanisms

“…Plant-derived medicines have attracted considerable attention owing to their minimal side effects and cost-effectiveness. Many natural compounds, such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and terpenoids, are effective against AKI because of their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects [ 12 ]. However, it is not yet clear whether these natural compounds can be used as drugs or dietary supplements to prevent or treat AKI.…”