Phytocompounds from Amazonian Plant Species against Acute Kidney Injury: Potential Nephroprotective Effects

Abstract

There are several Amazonian plant species with potential pharmacological validation for the treatment of acute kidney injury, a condition in which the kidneys are unable to adequately filter the blood, resulting in the accumulation of toxins and waste in the body. Scientific production on plant compounds capable of preventing or attenuating acute kidney injury—caused by several factors, including ischemia, toxins, and inflammation—has shown promising results in animal models of acute kidney injury and some preliminary studies in humans. Despite the popular use of Amazonian plant species for kidney disorders, further pharmacological studies are needed to identify active compounds and subsequently conduct more complex preclinical trials. This article is a brief review of phytocompounds with potential nephroprotective effects against acute kidney injury (AKI). The classes of Amazonian plant compounds with significant biological activity most evident in the consulted literature were alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, and terpenoids. An expressive phytochemical and pharmacological relevance of the studied species was identified, although with insufficiently explored potential, mainly in the face of AKI, a clinical condition with high morbidity and mortality.

Ephedra alata Seeds Confer Kidney Protection against Early Life Exposure to Acephate by Regulating Oxidative Insult and Activating Autophagy

“…In fact, recent studies by [7] revealed that the HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis of E. alata seeds showed various phytochemicals, including flavonoids, sphingolipids, and ephedrine derivatives. Natural antioxidants are capable of reducing free radical injuries by acting directly as a free radical scavenger and/or indirectly by activating enzymatic (SOD, CAT and GSH-Px) and nonenzymatic (GSH) antioxidant systems, which reduce lipid peroxidation in animals [40][41][42][43]. In addition, these natural compounds play an effective function in preserving mitochondrial homeostasis and therefore protecting against oxidative damage [44].…”