title: Nephroprotective potential of Bacopa monniera on hypercholesterolemia induced nephropathy via the NO signaling pathway.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bacopa monniera L. (Scrophulariaceae) is used as a traditional medicine in India for various ailments such as epilepsy, mental disorders, and also as a cardio-tonic. However, its nephroprotective role is still unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study assesses the modulatory impact of the alcoholic (ethanol) extract of Bacopa monniera (AEBM) on renal oxido-lipidemic stress in hypercholesterolemic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  B. monniera (1 kg) was extracted with 90% ethanol, filtered, and dried (52 g). Group-I rats as control, Group-II rats fed with a hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) for 45 d [4% cholesterol and 1% cholic acid], Group-III rats fed with HCD for 45 d + AEBM (40 mg/kg, body weight) for last 30 d, and Group-IV AEBM alone rats. Blood and kidney were removed to analyze lipid, antioxidant status, and histological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), phospholipids (PLs), renal functional parameters (urea, creatinine, and uric acid), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) products were significantly attenuated (p < 0.01) in AEBM-treated hypercholesterolemic rats. Activities of both enzymic (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and glutathione reductase (GR)) and non-enzymic antioxidant (GSH, Vit-C, and Vit-E) were significantly increased (p < 0.01), on supplementation with AEBM. Administration with AEBM the mRNA levels of eNOS and iNOS genes was significantly up-regulated and down-regulated (p < 0.01). Histomorphological observations also evidenced that AEBM effectively protects the kidney from hypercholesterolemia-mediated oxido-lipidemic damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From this study, we hypothesized that AEBM can act as renoprotective agent by attenuating the renal oxido-lipidemic stress via regulating NOS level and thereby protects the nephron in hypercholesterolemic rats.
authors: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dr. A.L.M. Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras , Taramani Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu , India.
authors: Venkatakrishnan
authors: V
authors: Kamesh
authors: Thangarajan
authors: T
authors: Sumathi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D034681:Bacopa; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Antioxidant status; histopathology; lipid profile; nitric oxide synthase; oxidative stress; renal markers