Combined extracts of Curcuma longa and Curcuma zedoaria ameliorates cisplatin-induced kidney damage in rats.

Background: Cisplatin (CIS) is a highly effective chemotherapeutic drug. However, it is associated with various side effects, including kidney damage, due to its nephrotoxic properties.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the renoprotective potential of the combined extract of Curcuma longa and Curcuma zedoaria in reducing nephrotoxicity by examining its effects on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), KIM-1, and caspase-3 levels.

Methods: Twenty-five rats were divided into normal control groups (NS), CIS control groups, and three treatment groups that received doses of the combined extract at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg (CUR100, CUR200, and CUR400), respectively, on day 1-20. All groups, except the NS group (receiving normal saline i.p.), received intraperitoneal CIS (1 mg/kg) on days 7 and 14 of the 20-day extract treatment.

Results: Compared with the rats in the CIS group, rats given the combined extract had a considerable gain in body weight and decreased TNF-α, KIM-1, and caspase-3 expression levels. Histopathological examination revealed that the extract group experienced less kidney damage than the CIS group. The combined extract, administered at 200 mg/kg, exerted the most apparent protective effect, decreasing renal TNF-α, KIM-1, and caspase 3.

Conclusion: The combined extract of C. longa and C. zedoaria has the potential to be a therapeutic agent for reducing nephrotoxicity by suppressing TNF-α, KIM-1, and caspase-3 levels. Further research is required to determine the potential of this combination therapy in humans.