The effects of baicalein alone and in combination with losartan on DOX-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

The goal of this research was to determine whether the combination of baicalein (BL) and losartan (LT) would provide greater protection against DOX-induced nephrotoxicity. There were five groups of male rats in the experiment: the 1) control, 2) DOX, 3) DOX+LT, 4) DOX+BL and 5) DOX+LT+BL groups. A dose of DOX was administered following two weeks of LT and BL therapy. In the DOX-affected group, serum renal indicators, including creatinine and urea, rose considerably compared to those in the control groups (p<0.01). Further, there was a statistically significant increase (p<0.001) in the levels of the cytokines that promote inflammation in renal tissue, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6. In addition, the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 decreased significantly (p<0.001) in the DOX-challenged group compared to the control groups. In addition, renal cell indicators of oxidative stress (p<0.001) and enzymatic activity (p<0.01) reduced dramatically in the DOX-challenged group, whereas renal cell thiobarbituric acid retroactive materials rose greatly (p<0.001). Finally, the DOX group had higher kidney protein expression and inflammatory activity than the control groups (p<0.001). The combination of BL and LT therapy protected DOX-challenged rats via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Automated summary

The study aimed to assess the combined effects of baicalein (BL) and losartan (LT) on DOX-induced nephrotoxicity in male rats. The rats were divided into five groups: control, DOX, DOX+LT, DOX+BL, and DOX+LT+BL. The DOX group showed significantly increased levels of renal indicators, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress markers compared to the control group. However, the combination therapy of BL and LT demonstrated protective effects through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.