Ellagic acid antiinflammatory and antiapoptotic potential mediate renoprotection in cisplatin nephrotoxic rats

Ellagic acid (EA) renoprotective effect against cisplatin (CIS)-induced nephrotoxicity remains elusive. Therefore, male Sprague-Dawley rats received CIS alone or EA (10 and 30 mg/kg, p.o.) for 5 days before and after CIS injection. CIS increased serum levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, γ-glutamyl transferase, and reduced those of albumin and total protein. It also raised serum endothelin-1, as well as serum and renal nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. CIS enhanced the renal caspase-3, hemeoxygenase (HO)-1, nuclear factor-κB, and inducible nitric oxide. EA hampered CIS-induced nephrotoxicity manifested by an enhancement of the glomerular filtration rate which was associated by the reduction of inflammatory mediators and the apoptotic marker in the serum and/or kidney. The present study discloses that EA suppresses HO-1 and, its renoprotection is also linked to its anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties, as well as the reduction of nitric oxide and endothelin-1.