Plantago major Ameliorates Adriamycin–Induced Renal Fibrosis via Down-Regulation of TGF-β and Collagen IV Expression

Adriamycin (ADR) is an anticancer drug with important adverse effects, one of the most important of which is nephropathy. Plantago major (PM) is a widely used medicinal plant with many pharmacologic properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible renoprotective effect of PM extract on ADR-induced renal fibrosis in rats. thirty-two male rats were divided into 4 groups: Control, ADR (5 mg/kg, iv), PM 600 + ADR, and PM 1200 + ADR. ADR was injected on the 7th day of the study. At the end of the 35th day of the experiment, left kidneys and serum samples were collected. The expression of collagen IV and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were examined by immunohistochemistry. Interstitial fibrosis was estimated using Masson's trichrome staining. Serum levels of urea and creatinine were measured by commercial kits. ADR caused a significant increase in the serum level of urea compared with the control group. Interstitial fibrosis and TGF-β and collagen IV expression in the kidney tissue were also markedly increased in the ADR-treated rats. Administration of PM (600 and 1200 mg/kg) significantly improved the renal expression of these fibrotic markers and interstitial fibrosis, as well as serum levels of urea compared with the control group. Present results suggested that hydro-alcoholic extract of PM could improve kidney fibrosis induced by ADR administration.