Effects of medicine food Fructus Gardeniae on liver and kidney functions after oral administration to rats for 12 weeks

Abstract

Fructus Gardeniae (FG) is medicine food widely used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. However, in recent years, research has suggested that high doses of FG can cause hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. To assess this potential toxicity in more depth, this study investigated the effects of decocted FG and two of its bioactive constituents (geniposide and genipin) on liver and kidney function in rats. Rats were intragastrically administered FG (330 mg/kg body weight), geniposide (50 mg/kg body weight), or genipin (50 mg/kg body weight) for 12 weeks. Changes in body weight, liver and kidney indices, biochemical indices, and inflammatory factors were monitored. In addition, pathological sections were assessed and the expression of caspase‐3, NF‐κBp65, COX‐2, and iNOS was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. It was found that the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and urea nitrogen increased following administration of FG, geniposide, and genipin. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione decreased following treatment, while malondialdehyde levels increased. Pathological and immunohistochemical evaluations further confirmed that FG and its constituents may cause damage to the liver and kidneys. The mechanism study revealed that the protein level of inflammatory pathway increased and further promoted apoptosis, suggesting that it should not be taken orally for extended periods of time. Practical applications Chinese medicine and food safety have always been public health concerns. Fructus Gardeniae (FG) is a plant with a dual‐purpose as it is used as both a medicine and food. Medicinally, it has the effects of heat‐clearing and detoxification. However, its adverse effects and related mechanisms are not clear, and this has potential safety implications. In this study, rats were treated with FG for 12 weeks and found that the long‐term administration of FG or high dosing can lead to damage to liver and kidney function. Therefore, close attention must be paid to the dosage of FG in order to achieve a therapeutic effect and avoid adverse reactions. Thus, this study lays a foundation for the safety evaluation and clinical application of FG.

Sub-chronic toxicity of the active fraction of a modified Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction

“…In preclinical studies and clinical practices, HLJDD was also found to produce some adverse effects on the stomach, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidney [16] , [17] . The toxicity of HLJDD was mainly due to the GF, which was reported to cause noticeable liver and kidney injury in the rats after 12-week application [6] . The hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity of GF extremely restricted the long-term use of HLJDD in clinics.…”

“…In addition, our previous work [5] also demonstrated that HLJDD has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities in in vivo and in vitro models of AD. However, one herbal medicine of HLJDD Gardenia fructus (GF) was reported to cause remarkable liver and kidney injuries in long-term treatment [6] , which extremely limited the application of HLJDD in patients with AD.…”

Inhalation of low‐dose basil (Ocimum basilicum) essential oil improved cardiovascular health and plasma lipid markers in high fat diet‐induced obese rats

“…Although previous studies investigated the influence of aroma inhalation on stress relief and psychological/physical stability, little is known about their effects on metabolic mechanisms and fat accumulation in obesity. Previous research reported that a few synthetic drugs decreased bodyweight whereas increased liver and kidney injury (Li et al, 2021). The antiobesity synthetic drugs have been reported to have side effects (Baretić, 2013).…”

Qingre Jiangni formula improves esophageal epithelial barrier function in gastroesophageal reflux rats through male hormones and the p38/MAPK pathway

“…The approach of clearing heat and mitigating adverse reactions is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment technique extensively employed in the clinical management of gastroesophageal reflux [14]. This method aims to alleviate symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux and improve digestive problems by rebalancing the body's heat and restoring normal digestive function.…”