bisdemethoxycurcumin and Renal-Insufficiency--Chronic

Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), a principal and active component of edible turmeric, was previously found to have beneficial effects on metabolic diseases. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may benefit from its potential therapeutic use. Using a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mouse model, we examined the effects of BDMC on renal injury and tried to determine how its associated mechanism works. A number of metabolic disorders are significantly improved by BDMC, including obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia and inflammation. Further research on renal histopathology and function showed that BDMC could repair renal pathological changes and enhance renal function. Moreover, decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA), elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and the inhibition of renal reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction revealed the alleviation of oxidative stress after BDMC administration. In addition, renal Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Keap1/Nrf2) pathway was activated in BDMC-treated mice. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated BDMC as a potential therapy for HFD-induced CKD via the activation of the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway.

Topics: Animals; Diarylheptanoids; Diet, High-Fat; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1; Kidney; Mice; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Oxidative Stress; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Signal Transduction

Renal fibrosis is the common final outcome of nearly all progressive chronic kidney diseases (CKD) that eventually develop into end-stage renal failure, which threatens the lives of patients. Currently, there are no effective drugs for the treatment of renal fibrosis. However, studies have shown that certain plant natural products have a fibrosis-alleviating effect. Thus, we have screened a large number of natural products for their ability to protect against renal fibrosis and found that bisdemethoxycurcumin has a good therapeutic effect in renal fibrosis according to the data obtained in a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). The results indicate that bisdemethoxycurcumin can efficiently attenuate renal fibrosis induced by UUO. Additional studies of the bisdemethoxycurcumin mechanism of action in the treatment of renal fibrosis demonstrated that the therapeutic effect of bisdemethoxycurcumin is mediated by the specific induction of fibroblast apoptosis at a concentration of 20 μM. bisdemethoxycurcumin can efficiently protect against renal fibrosis both in vitro and in vivo. This discovery will provide new ideas for renal fibrosis treatment in clinics and a new direction for the development of effective drug therapy of renal fibrosis.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Biological Products; Cell Line; Curcumin; Diarylheptanoids; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Fibroblasts; Fibrosis; Humans; Kidney; Male; Mice; Protective Agents; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Ureteral Obstruction; Urinary Tract