Abstract
Background: Around the world medicinal plants are a natural source of medications. They are essential to both conventional therapy and traditional medicine. In India, southern China, Malaysia, and Thailand, Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. is a traditional medication used to treat diabetes and chronic renal failure. This investigation aims to evaluate the nephroprotective properties of a compound that originates from an effective ethanolic extract of Orthosiphon stamineus. Methods: The renal protective effect of the extracts and the isolated compound was assessed using the HFD and STZ induced diabetes method and subjected to TLC, column, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR, and MS to characterize the isolated compound.
Results: An ethanol extract was found to lower the BUN and creatinine levels significantly (P < 0.05) in diabetic rats. Isolated compound (OS-1) caused a significant (P< 0.05) reduction in blood BUN nitrogen and creatinine levels, and additionally, it caused a reduction in blood glucose and cholesterol levels in nephritic rats.
Conclusion: The present study results reveal that tested plant extracts have potent renal protective effects due to the occurrence of phenols, flavonoids, and anthraquinones in the extract. Reduction in BUN, creatinine, blood glucose and cholesterol by an isolated compound (OS-1) indicates that OS-1 has renal protective activity, along with hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic potential, and provides a scientific rationale for its use as a renal protective agent.