Cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic role of Terminalia arjuna on oxalate injured renal epithelial cells

Abstract

Urolithiasis is one of the painful multifactorial disorders caused by metabolic abnormalities influencing the composition of body fluids and urine. The bark of Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna), very well known in Ayurveda for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, possesses antioxidant and diuretic activity. The present study was undertaken to investigate the antiurolithiatic efficacy of aqueous extract of bark of T. arjuna on oxalate-induced injury to renal tubular epithelial cells. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells were exposed to 2 mM oxalate for 48 h to evaluate the protective effect of T. arjuna aqueous extract on cell viability, CaOx crystal adherence and apoptotic changes caused by oxalate. The results confirmed that oxalate injured MDCK cells were protected by T. arjuna extract. On treatment with a range concentrations, the cell viability increased in a concentration dependent manner. Moreover, the extract prevented the interaction of the calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals with the cell surface and reduced the number of apoptotic cells. The current data suggests that T. arjuna bark confers a cytoprotective role and based on our results it could be a potential candidate from natural plant sources against urolithiasis.

The Genus Terminalia (Combretaceae): An Ethnopharmacological, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review

“…Terminalia species were also reported to be used in the treatment of diarrhea [95], Alzheimer’s disease [112], psoriasis [164], liver disease [170], kidney disease [171], etc. Terminalosides A–K ( 249–259 ) from the leaves of the Bangladeshi medicinal plant T. citrina possess estrogen-inhibitory properties.…”

In Vitro Cell Culture Models of Hyperoxaluric States: Calcium Oxalate and Renal Epithelial Cell Interactions

“…Recently, extensive research has explored the effectiveness of generic antioxidants and plant extracts on the alleviation of CaOx crystal damage to epithelial cells, among others L-arginine [46], vitamin E [46], theaflavin [54], taurine [55], corn silk polysaccharides [56], polysaccharides from green seaweed [57], aspidopterys obcordata [58], terminalia arjuna [59], etc. Studies showed that the effects of these antioxidants were beneficial for alleviating oxidative stress on epithelial cells by reducing markers of oxidative damage and increasing cell viability.…”

Original article Contemporary medicinal uses of ethnomedicinally important plant: Arjuna [Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight and Arn.]

“…It also demonstrated that the cells that are exposed to oxalate cause induction of apoptosis, which results in morphological changes such as irregular, shape, apoptotic bodies, membrane blebbing and condensed or fragmented chromatin that leads to increased cell death. Cells treated with T. arjuna show cytoprotective potential that leads to increase in number of viable cells with intact cellular membrane and fewer apoptotic bodies (Mittal et al, 2017).…”