Salutary Effects of Cepharanthine against Skeletal Muscle and Kidney Injuries following Limb IschemiaReperfusion

Abstract EN

Limb ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) causes oxidation and inflammation and subsequently induces muscle and kidney injuries.

Cepharanthine, a natural plant alkaloid, possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties.

We elucidated the salutary effects of cepharanthine against muscle and kidney injuries following limb I/R.

Adult male rats were randomized to receive I/R or I/R plus cepharanthine.

I/R was achieved by applying tourniquet high around each thigh for 3 hours followed by reperfusion for 24 hours.

Cepharanthine (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) was injected immediately before reperfusion.

After euthanization, degrees of tissue injury, inflammation, and oxidation were examined.

Our data revealed that the I/R group had significant increases in injury biomarker concentrations of muscle (creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase) and kidney (creatinine, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and kidney injury molecule-1).

Histological assays revealed moderate muscle and kidney injury characteristics in the I/R group.

The I/R group also had significant increases in concentrations of inflammatory molecules (interleukin-6, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and prostaglandin E2) and reactive nitrogen species (nitric oxide) as well as lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde).

Of note, these effects of limb I/R could be mitigated by cepharanthine.

These data confirmed that cepharanthine attenuated muscle and kidney injuries induced by limb I/R.

The mechanisms may involve its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative capacities.