Narirutin ameliorates polystyrene microplastics induced nephrotoxicity by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation and Nrf2/Keap1 pathway

Polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) have emerged as potentially hazardous materials, which significantly affect various body organs including kidneys. Narirutin (NRT) is a flavanone that exhibits a wide range of pharmacological properties. Therefore, this study was planned to appraise the nephro-protective effects of NRT on PSMPs-instigated kidney damages in male albino rats. In this study, 24 male albino rats were randomly distributed in 4 groups (n = 6/group); control group, PSMPs (0.01 mgkg−1) treated group, PSMPs + NRT (0.01 mgkg−1 + 50 mgkg−1) co-treated group, and NRT (50 mgkg−1) only treated group. PSMPs exposure reduced the expressions of Nrf-2 and anti-oxidant enzymes coupled with increased expressions of Keap-1. PSMPs treatment reduced the activities of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), whereas escalated the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, PSMPs administration substantially elevated the levels of kidney function markers such as creatinine, urea, kidney injury molecules-1 (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL). Conversely, it reduced the level of creatinine clearance. Besides, PSMPs significantly escalated the levels of inflammatory markers such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity. In contrast, NRT restored all these damages and abnormalities to their normal level. According to these findings, NRT may act as a potential flavanone with the ability to mitigate the kidney toxicity induced by PSMPs in male albino rats.