A review of potential beneficial effects of herbal phytotherapy in mitigating drug-induced nephrotoxicity

Several modern drugs and other toxicants are one of the prime etiological factors for nephro-toxicity. Many synthetic, medicinally active substances, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDS), aminoglycosides, antibiotics, and chemotherapeutic drugs, can impact the urinary system and cause acute renal failure, nephritis, and other kidney-related conditions. Natural products have long been seen to be accessible, safe, and effective in treating kidney disorders because they are thought to have renal protective effects. In addition to critically analysing the phytochemical responsible for modulating drug induced nephrotoxicity, this review paper thoroughly examines the phytochemicals such as flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, phytosterol, saponins, and glycosides are key elements that modulate nephrotoxicity. The article examines the effective compound flavonoids, which suppress iNOS activity and NO production by inhibiting the production of peroxynitrite. It also modulates oxidative stress via the nuclear factor 2 related to erythroid 2 (Nrf2) pathway, a transcription factor that controls the expression of numerous cytoprotective and antioxidant genes. It highlights the advantages of herbal phytotherapy for reducing nephrotoxicity caused by drugs. Additionally, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that a variety of herbs (flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, polysaccharides, phenylpropanoids, etc.) have special antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties that modulate the pathways associated with drug-induced kidney injury. In this review, we principally focused on the potential effect of the herbal plants and their phytochemicals involved in modulating drug-induced nephrotoxicity.