Hesperidin Shows Protective Effects on Renal Function in Ischemia-induced Acute Kidney Injury (Sprague-Dawley Rats)

Hesperidin is a well-known flavanone glycoside copiously found in sweet orange and lemon, which was recently reported to possess significant anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major problem after renal transplantation. Furthermore, inflammatory responses to I/R exacerbate the resultant renal injury. In the present study, we investigated whether hesperidin exhibits renoprotective effects against I/R-induced acute kidney injury in a rat model.

We fed Sprague-Dawley rats either hesperidin (100 mg/kg/d) or saline. One week later, ischemia was induced by bilateral renal pedicle occlusion for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, which were treated as follows: 1. the sham operated group; 2. the I/R group; 3. the I/R-hesperidin group RESULTS: Compared to the sham group, the I/R group had higher expression of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine and lower expression of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, antioxidants, and nitric oxide. Compared to the I/R group, the I/R-hesperidin group had higher expression of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, antioxidant, and nitric oxide and lower expression of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine.

Hesperidin improved acute renal I/R injury through its antioxidant effects. These findings suggest that hesperidin is a potential therapeutic agent for acute ischemia-induced renal damage.