Paronychia argentea Lam. protects renal endothelial cells against oxidative injury

Paronychia argentea Lam. (Arabic tea), a species spontaneously growing in the Mediterranean area, has been used in folk medicine for renal diseases.

To assess the antioxidant and protective potentials of different extracts from P. argentea in the renal endothelial NRK-52E cell line by several in vitro models, including a H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress model.

Aerial parts of P. argentea were collected in Algeria and ethanolic, chloroform and aqueous-chloroform extracts were obtained from dried plant. The antioxidant capacity was first evaluated by the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and the free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) methods. Cellular viability was assessed by MTT method assay after 24 h pretreatment with each extract concentration in order to measure protection from H₂O₂ in NRK-52E cells. Furthermore, the intracellular ROS formation (DCFH-DA method), was determined.

P. argentea showed in vitro antioxidant activity as evidenced by the ORAC and DPPH assays. No cell toxicity was observed for concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 100 μg/mL of each extract. These extracts also exerted a protective effect on renal endothelial cells simultaneously treated with 1 mM H₂O₂. Chemical composition for the aqueous-chloroform extract was assessed by HPLC, as it showed the strongest antioxidant ability, revealing three quercetin derivatives as the main phenolic compounds.

P. argentea is endorsed with antioxidant activity and protects renal endothelial cells against oxidative damage which indicate this plant constitutes a potential treatment for renal diseases.