Rhizoma smilacis glabrae protects rats with gentamicin-induced kidney injury from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-3 activation

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Rhizoma smilacis glabrae (RSG), which is mild-natured and tastes sweet or bland, has pharmacological action of eliminating dampness, detoxifying, and ensuring that joints were healthy and supple in traditional Chinese medicine. Aim of the study To discuss the protective effect of RSG on gentamicin (GM)-induced kidney injury in rats and its regulatory mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-3 activation. Materials and methods A total of 40 Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group, model group, and RSG low, middle, and high dose groups (0.75，1.5，3 g kg −1 ). Six hours after intramuscular GM injections, rats in the model group were given distilled water by intragastric administration, and rats in the 3 RSG intervention groups were given different dosages of RSG water-extracts. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, blood and kidney samples were collected to test for biochemical indexes of kidney injury, oxidative stress, histopathological defects, apoptosis rate, and caspase-3 protein expression to assess the protective effect of RSG water-extracts against GM-induced kidney injury. Results Compared with the model group, serum TP and ALB levels were significantly higher ( P P P P P −1 ) showed the best protective effect. Conclusions RSG water-extracts had protective effects against GM-induced kidney injury in rats, and its mechanism of action was related to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-3 activation.