Preventive Effects of a Natural Anti-Inflammatory Agent, Astragaloside IV, on Ischemic Acute Kidney Injury in Rats

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of astragaloside IV(AS-IV) on ischemia/reperfusion (IR) induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in rats. Experimental model of ischemic AKI was induced in rats by bilateral renal artery clamp for 45 min followed by reperfusion of 12 h and 24 h, respectively. AS-IV was orally administered once a day to rats at 10 and 20 mg·kg(−1)·d(−1) for 7 days prior to ischemia. AS-IV pretreatment significantly decreased serum urea, creatinine, and cystatin C levels at 12 h and 24 h of reperfusion in AKI rats. AS-IV pretreatment also ameliorated tubular damage and suppressed the phosphorylation of p65 subunit of NF-κB in AKI rats. Moreover, NF-κB and MPO activity as well as serum and tissue levels of TNF-α, MCP-1, and ICAM-1 were elevated in AKI rats. All of these abnormalities were prevented by AS-IV. Furthermore, AS-IV downregulated the mRNA expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, MCP-1, and ICAM-1 in AKI rats. These results suggest that AS-IV might be developed as a novel therapeutic approach to prevent ischemic AKI through inhibition of NF-κB mediated inflammatory genes expression.