Efficacy of Obcordata A from Aspidopterys obcordata on Kidney Stones by Inhibiting NOX4 Expression

Abstract

Obcordata A (OA) is a polyoxypregnane glycoside derived from the Dai medicine Aspidopterys obcordata vines. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of OA on renal tubular epithelial cells exposed to calcium oxalate crystals. We incubated renal tubular cells with 28 μg·cm2 calcium oxalate crystals for 24 h with and without OA, GKT137831, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), and tocopherol. The MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay, microscopic examination, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining revealed that calcium oxalate crystals decreased cell viability and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. OA, GKT137831, and tocopherol protected cells and decreased ROS levels. However, OA did not exhibit direct DPPH scavenging ability. In addition, immunoblotting illustrated that OA inhibited the NOX4 (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases 4) expression and downregulated the protein expression in the NOX4/ROS/p38 MAPK (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway. The findings suggest that the cytoprotective and antioxidant effects of OA can be blocked by the NOX4 agonist PMA. In conclusion, OA could be used as a NOX4 inhibitor to prevent kidney stones.

Complete plastome sequence of Aspidopterys obcordata (Malpighiaceae), a traditional Dai medicinal plant from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

“…(Malpighiaceae) is a woody liana and distributes in Hainan and South Yunnan, China (Chen and Funston 2008). The whole plant contained some important biochemical compounds having effects on antiphlogistic and diuresis treatments, which could be used to cure urinary infection and calculus, cystitis, rheumatism, and bone pain, as well as postpartum weak health and children's digestion diseases (e.g., Wu et al 2001;Li et al 2016;Hu et al 2018;Li et al 2019). Plants of this species are important ingredients in some ancient prescriptions of the traditional Dai medicine (State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2005).…”

“… 2018 ; Li et al. 2019 ). Plants of this species are important ingredients in some ancient prescriptions of the traditional Dai medicine (State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2005 ).…”

In Vitro Cell Culture Models of Hyperoxaluric States: Calcium Oxalate and Renal Epithelial Cell Interactions

“…Recently, extensive research has explored the effectiveness of generic antioxidants and plant extracts on the alleviation of CaOx crystal damage to epithelial cells, among others L-arginine [46], vitamin E [46], theaflavin [54], taurine [55], corn silk polysaccharides [56], polysaccharides from green seaweed [57], aspidopterys obcordata [58], terminalia arjuna [59], etc. Studies showed that the effects of these antioxidants were beneficial for alleviating oxidative stress on epithelial cells by reducing markers of oxidative damage and increasing cell viability.…”

Study On Detoxification Mechanism of Three Traditional Dai Antidotes

“…As one of the four major ethnomedicines in China [1], Dai medicine dates back more than 2500 years [2] and continues to play an important role in health care in China and many other countries of southeast Asia, especially in the Mekong River valley. Dai antidotes, which include Bin Hao (C. chinense var.…”