Aucubin mitigates nonylphenol-induced renal damage by attenuating apoptosis, oxidative stress and histopathological profile

Nonylphenol (NP) is potent noxious pollutant which is documented to induce nephrotoxicity via escalating the levels of oxidative stress in renal tissues. Aucubin (AUC) is a novel phytochemical having tremendous pharmacological abilities. This research aimed to estimate the efficacy of AUC against NP intoxicated renal impairment in male albino rats. 48 albino rats were randomly assigned into four different groups viz. control group, NP administered group (50 mg/kg), NP + AUC administrated (50 mg/kg + 40 mg/kg) group and AUC treated (40 mg/kg) group. Our results showed that NP intoxication raised urinary proteins, creatinine, urea, urobilinogen, NGAL and KIM-1 levels. Besides, NP exposure lowered the levels of creatinine clearance and albumin. Furthermore, NP treatment lowered level of total protein, activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GSR) & glutathione (GSH) contents along with the level of total antioxidant status (TAS) however, raising the oxidative stress markers levels Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) & total oxidant status (TOS). Additionally, following the NP administration, the levels of Bax, caspase-9, & caspase-3 were augmented however the Bcl-2 level was decreased. Furthermore, rats exposed to NP showed various histopathological disruptions. Whereas treatment with AUC showed a palliative effect against NP-induced renal damage, restoring all alterations to normal levels. Taken together, AUC administration convalesced NP-induced kidney impairment.