The effect of nanomicellar curcuminoids on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury and the expressions of COX-2 and Na+/K+-ATPase in rat’s kidney

Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) causes acute kidney injury known by impaired renal function, which has partially been connected to kidney apoptosis as well as the impairment of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Na+/K+-ATPase signaling. Curcuminoids have been proposed to have potential renoprotective effects. Thus, the present research work aimed to assess the effect of Nanomicellar Curcuminoids (NC) in a rat model of renal I/R.

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to three treatment groups (n=5/ group). NC at the dose of 25 mg/kg/i.p or its vehicle was administered 60 min before renal ischemia induction. Then, the animals were subjected to bilateral renal ischemia for 60 min and reperfusion for 24 h. Subsequently, blood samples were collected to assess Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and Creatinine (Cr) levels. In addition, kidneys were isolated to evaluate renal histopathology, caspase-3 cleavage, and COX-2 and Na+/K+ -ATPase pump levels.

The results showed that NC improved kidney function (P<0.0001) and attenuated I/R-induced histopathological injuries (P<0.0001) and caspase-3 cleavage (P<0.01). However, the downregulation of renal COX-2 and Na+/K+ -ATPase expression induced by I/R was not restored by the renoprotective dose of NC.

The findings of the present study indicated that the renoprotective effect of NC in the renal I/R rat model coincided with the inhibition of histopathological injuries and apoptosis, but not with compensation for renal COX-2 and Na+/K+ -ATPase downregulation.