The effects of baicalein alone and in combination with losartan on DOX-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

The goal of this research was to determine whether the combination of baicalein (BL) and losartan (LT) would provide greater protection against DOX-induced nephrotoxicity. There were five groups of male rats in the experiment: the 1) control, 2) DOX, 3) DOX LT, 4) DOX BL and 5) DOX LT BL groups. A dose of DOX was administered following two weeks of LT and BL therapy. In the DOX-affected group, serum renal indicators, including creatinine and urea, rose considerably compared to those in the control groups (p<0.01). Further, there was a statistically significant increase (p<0.001) in the levels of the cytokines that promote inflammation in renal tissue, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6. In addition, the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 decreased significantly (p<0.001) in the DOX-challenged group compared to the control groups. In addition, renal cell indicators of oxidative stress (p<0.001) and enzymatic activity (p<0.01) reduced dramatically in the DOX-challenged group, whereas renal cell thiobarbituric acid retroactive materials rose greatly (p<0.001). Finally, the DOX group had higher kidney protein expression and inflammatory activity than the control groups (p<0.001). The combination of BL and LT therapy protected DOX-challenged rats via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.