10th Japan-Korea transplantation forumExperimental transplantationProtective Effect of Eupatilin Against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice

•Eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyflavone), one of the main pharmacologically active compounds contained in Artemisia species, is known to possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities.•To our knowledge, our study is the first to apply eupatilin in a model of renal ischemia reperfusion.•Treatment with eupatilin significantly decreased BUN and serum creatinine levels, as well as kidney tubular injury.•Treatment with eupatilin attenuated the expression of iNOS, BAX, and caspase-3, and significantly increased the protein levels of HSP70 and Bcl-2 48 hours after IRI.•These findings suggest that eupatilin is a promising therapeutic agent against acute ischemia-induced renal damage.

BackgroundEupatilin, a pharmacologically active flavone derived from Artemisia species, is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major complication after renal transplantation, with inflammatory responses to IRI exacerbating the resultant renal injury. In the present study, we investigated whether eupatilin exhibits renoprotective activities against ischemia-reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury in mice.Materials and MethodsRenal IRI was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by bilateral renal pedicle occlusion for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion for 48 hours. Eupatilin (10 mg/kg body weight p.o.) was administered 4 days before IRI.ResultsTreatment with eupatilin significantly decreased neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and kidney injury molecule-1 levels in urine, blood urea nitrogen level, and serum creatinine levels, as well as kidney tubular injury. Western blotting indicated that eupatilin significantly increased the levels of heat shock protein 70 and B-cell lymphoma protein, and it attenuated inducible nitric oxide synthase, Bcl-2-associated X protein, and caspase-3 levels 48 hours after IRI.ConclusionOur findings suggest that eupatilin is a promising therapeutic agent against acute ischemia-induced renal damage.