Antioxidant effect of Phyllanthus emblica extract prevents contrast-induced acute kidney injury

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) occurs after the administration of intravenous iodinated contrast agents. Oxidative stress has been proposed as one of the most important mechanisms in the pathogenesis of CI-AKI. The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant effect of the extract from Phyllanthus emblica (PE) in preventing CI-AKI.

Male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected into eight groups, were given water (control) or PE extract (125 or 250 or 500 mg/kg/day) for 5 days before the induction of CI-AKI. Renal function and oxidative stress markers; malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity were determined in plasma and renal tissue. Kidney sections were performed for histopathological examination.

In the contrast media (CM) group, increases in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were demonstrated which correlated with severity of tubular necrosis, peritubular capillary congestion and interstitial edema. Moreover, an increase in MDA and a decrease in TAC SOD and CAT activity in CM group were significantly changed when compared with the control (P<0.05). In contrast, CI-AKI-induced rats administrated with PE extract 250 and 500 mg/kg/day significantly preserved renal function and attenuated the severity of pathological damage (P<0.05) as well as significantly lower MDA and higher TAC, SOD and CAT than the CM group (P<0.05).

This study demonstrated the protective role of PE extract against CI-AKI.