Polyphenols and Their Metabolites in Renal Diseases: An Overview

Abstract

Kidney diseases constitute a worldwide public health problem, contributing to morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to provide an overview of the published data regarding the potential beneficial effects of polyphenols on major kidney diseases, namely acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, renal cancer, and drug-induced nephrotoxicity. This study consists of a bibliographical review including in vitro and in vivo studies dealing with the effects of individual compounds. An analysis of the polyphenol metabolome in human urine was also conducted to estimate those compounds that are most likely to be responsible for the kidney protective effects of polyphenols. The biological effects of polyphenols can be highly attributed to the modulation of specific signaling cascades including those involved in oxidative stress responses, anti-inflammation processes, and apoptosis. There is increasing evidence that polyphenols afford great potential in renal disease protection. However, this evidence (especially when in vitro studies are involved) should be considered with caution before its clinical translation, particularly due to the unfavorable pharmacokinetics and extensive metabolization that polyphenols undergo in the human body. Future research should consider polyphenols and their metabolites that indeed reach kidney tissues.

Investigation of the Renal Protective Effect of Combined Dietary Polyphenols in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Aged Rats

“…Polyphenols have important anti-oxidant properties as demonstrated by several studies and reports [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. These properties presented them as major compounds in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and renal failure [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Phenolic compounds are extensively distributed in plants and exhaustive studies demonstrated their benefits and curative potential, including antioxidant, anti-microbe, anti-neoplasic, and anti-inflammatory effects [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Possible Side Effects of Polyphenols and Their Interactions with Medicines

“…Polyphenols are also important anti-cancer agents [ 79 ]. Tea polyphenol compounds were proven in many animal models to prevent various types of cancers, e.g., ovarian, breast, pancreas, colorectal, oesophagus, liver, lung, and kidney cancers [ 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 ]. Moreover, in vitro studies have demonstrated that the anticancer activity of polyphenols relies on their ability to inhibit growth or stimulate apoptosis in various cancer cell lines, such as HL60 human promyelocytic leukaemia cells, A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells, LNCaP and androgen-insensitive PC-3 human prostate carcinoma cells, human prostate cancer LNCaP cells, OVCA 433 human ovarian cancer, HepG2 cells, Caco-2 human colon cancer cells, human pancreatic carcinoma cell line Mia PACA-2, and oestrogen-independent MDA-MB-435 and oestrogen-dependent MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines [ 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 ].…”

A Review of Medicinal Plants with Renoprotective Activity in Diabetic Nephropathy Animal Models

“…They are mangiferin, syringaresinol, resveratrol, and gallic acid. These compounds regulate signaling cascades including those engaged in response to oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, and apoptosis [ 62 ].…”