Protective Potential of Hispidulin Against Oleic Acid‐Induced Acute Kidney Injury: Investigation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Cellular Death Mechanisms

Hispidulin is a natural flavonoid extracted from many plants such as Saussurea involucrata by different methods. The present study aims to evaluate the histopathologic, antioxidant and molecular effects of hispidulin in oleic acid-induced male Spraque Dawley rats. Accordingly, rats were divided into three separate groups HC: Healthy Control Group OA: Oleic Acid Group and H + OA Group. Oxidative stress markers superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were evaluated in kidney tissues obtained from the animals of the treatment groups. The same tissues were subjected to histopathologic examination. Moreover, gene expression levels of critical regulators of apoptosis, cellular metabolism and inflammation were examined by real-time PCR to identify the molecular structure responsible for the nephrotoxic impact of oleic acid. It was observed that oleic acid (OA) led to decrease in GSH level and an increase in MPO and MDA levels in rat kidney tissues. The levels of SOD and CAT, which are among the antioxidant system components, were found to decrease. In addition, kidney damage biomarker (Kim-1), inflammation genes (Il-6, Nf-Kß), apoptotic gene (Casp3) and gene involved in extracellular matrix renewal (Mmp2) were negatively affected by OA exposure. However, it was observed that hispidulin was able to reverse all the deregulations induced by OA administration. In conclusion, oleic acid, used as an inducer of acute kidney injury, caused tissue damage by disrupting the oxidant and antioxidant balance and dysfunction in renal tissues by increasing the levels of inflammatory mediators. Hispidulin, which we use as a renoprotective agent in acute kidney injury, may be considered as an alternative, versatile and effective technique to alleviate renal injury by inhibiting inflammation, tubular cell death and oxidative stress.