title: Nephroprotective effect of β-sitosterol on N-diethylnitrosamine initiated and ferric nitrilotriacetate promoted acute nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most abundant plant sterol β-sitosterol is widely used for treating heart diseases and chronic inflammatory conditions. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the nephroprotective effect of β-sitosterol against nephrotoxicants which were studied using renal function markers, antioxidant and lipid peroxidation status, and inflammatory markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male albino Wistar rats were randomly grouped into four: group 1 was vehicle control rats (0.1% carboxymethyl cellulose [CMC]); group 2 was rats treated with N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN) (200 mg/kg body weight [bw] i.p. on the 15th day) and ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) (9 mg/kg bw i.p. on 30th and 32nd days); group 3 was rats that received β-sitosterol (20 mg/kg bw in 0.1% CMC, p.o. for 32 days) 2 weeks prior to the exposure to the nephrotoxicant; and group 4 was rats that received β-sitosterol alone. The experiment was terminated after the 24 h of last dosage of Fe-NTA, and all the animals were sacrificed. The blood, liver and kidney from each group were analyzed for biochemical, molecular and histological changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the parameters showed significant changes in DEN and Fe-NTA treated animals, whereas β-sitosterol pretreated animals' altered biochemical parameters were restored to near normal. Histopathological and immunoexpression studies on tissues also corroborate the biochemical endpoints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of β-sitosterol to nephrotoxicity induced rats showed significant positive changes in biochemical parameters, histopathological and immunohistochemical observations, and up-regulation of Nrf2 gene expression. From this, it was clear that β-sitosterol showed renal protective function.
authors.forename: Ramalingam
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharmila
authors.forename: Ganapathy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sindhu
authors.forename: Pushpam Marie
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Arockianathan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D020011:Protective Agents; D012855:Sitosterols; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; C025473:gamma-sitosterol; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid; C020326:ferric nitrilotriacetate