The Potential of Naturally Derived Compounds for Treating Chronic Kidney Disease: A Review of Autophagy and Cellular Senescence

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Date 2025 Jan 11

PMID 39795863

Authors

Yoong Mond Teh

Siti Aisyah Mualif

Nur Izzati Mohd Noh

Soo Kun Lim

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by irreversible progressive worsening of kidney function leading to kidney failure. CKD is viewed as a clinical model of premature aging and to date, there is no treatment to reverse kidney damage. The well-established treatment for CKD aims to control factors that may aggravate kidney progression and to provide kidney protection effects to delay the progression of kidney disease. As an alternative, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been shown to have fewer adverse effects for CKD patients. However, there is a lack of clinical and molecular studies investigating the mechanisms by which natural products used in TCM can improve CKD. In recent years, autophagy and cellular senescence have been identified as key contributors to aging and age-related diseases. Exploring the potential of natural products in TCM to target these processes in CKD patients could slow disease progression. A better understanding of the characteristics of these natural products and their effects on autophagy and cellular senescence through clinical studies, coupled with the use of these products as complementary therapy alongside mainstream treatment, may maximize therapeutic benefits and minimize adverse effects for CKD patients. While promising, there is currently a lack of thorough research on the potential synergistic effects of these natural products. This review examines the use of natural products in TCM as an alternative treatment for CKD and discusses their active ingredients in terms of renoprotection, autophagy, and cellular senescence.

References

Wang X, Gao Y, Tian N, Wang T, Shi Y, Xu J . Astragaloside IV inhibits glucose-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition of podocytes through autophagy enhancement via the SIRT-NF-κB p65 axis. Sci Rep. 2019; 9(1):323. PMC: 6344540. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36911-1. View

Ren Z, Fan Y, Li A, Shen Q, Wu J, Ren L . Alterations of the Human Gut Microbiome in Chronic Kidney Disease. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2020; 7(20):2001936. PMC: 7578882. DOI: 10.1002/advs.202001936. View

Teh Y, Mualif S, Lim S . A comprehensive insight into autophagy and its potential signaling pathways as a therapeutic target in podocyte injury. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2022; 143:106153. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106153. View

Kaushal G, Chandrashekar K, Juncos L . Molecular Interactions Between Reactive Oxygen Species and Autophagy in Kidney Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2019; 20(15). PMC: 6696055. DOI: 10.3390/ijms20153791. View

Koshida T, Gohda T, Sugimoto T, Asahara T, Asao R, Ohsawa I . Gut Microbiome and Microbiome-Derived Metabolites in Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24(14). PMC: 10380578. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411456. View

Kang C, Elledge S . How autophagy both activates and inhibits cellular senescence. Autophagy. 2016; 12(5):898-9. PMC: 4854549. DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2015.1121361. View

Jacob A, Chaves L, Eadon M, Chang A, Quigg R, Alexander J . Curcumin alleviates immune-complex-mediated glomerulonephritis in factor-H-deficient mice. Immunology. 2013; 139(3):328-37. PMC: 3701179. DOI: 10.1111/imm.12079. View

Gill S, Rieder M . Toxicity of a traditional Chinese medicine, Ganoderma lucidum, in children with cancer. Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2008; 15(2):e275-85. View

Ju Y, Su Y, Chen Q, Ma K, Ji T, Wang Z . Protective effects of Astragaloside IV on endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced renal tubular epithelial cells apoptosis in type 2 diabetic nephropathy rats. Biomed Pharmacother. 2018; 109:84-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.10.041. View

10.

Zhang Y, Tao C, Xuan C, Jiang J, Cao W . Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Protection of Astragaloside IV against Diabetic Nephropathy by Modulating Inflammation. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2020; 2020:9542165. PMC: 7443226. DOI: 10.1155/2020/9542165. View

11.

Guzel S, Sahinogullari Z, Canacankatan N, Antmen S, Kibar D, Coskun Yilmaz B . Potential renoprotective effects of silymarin against vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Drug Chem Toxicol. 2019; 43(6):630-636. DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2019.1584208. View

12.

Chen H, Liu X, Zhu W, Chen H, Hu X, Jiang Z . SIRT1 ameliorates age-related senescence of mesenchymal stem cells via modulating telomere shelterin. Front Aging Neurosci. 2014; 6:103. PMC: 4042159. DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00103. View

13.

Zhang M, Zhang Y, Xiao D, Zhang J, Wang X, Guan F . Highly bioavailable berberine formulation ameliorates diabetic nephropathy through the inhibition of glomerular mesangial matrix expansion and the activation of autophagy. Eur J Pharmacol. 2020; 873:172955. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.172955. View

14.

Cammarota G, Ianiro G, Ahern A, Carbone C, Temko A, Claesson M . Gut microbiome, big data and machine learning to promote precision medicine for cancer. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020; 17(10):635-648. DOI: 10.1038/s41575-020-0327-3. View

15.

Yin S, Zhou Z, Fu P, Jin C, Wu P, Ji C . Roles of extracellular vesicles in ageing-related chronic kidney disease: Demon or angel. Pharmacol Res. 2023; 193:106795. DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106795. View

16.

Hammad F, Lubbad L . The effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the renal dysfunction in the obstructed kidney in the rat. Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol. 2017; 9(4):119-126. PMC: 5592246. View

17.

Trujillo J, Chirino Y, Molina-Jijon E, Anderica-Romero A, Tapia E, Pedraza-Chaverri J . Renoprotective effect of the antioxidant curcumin: Recent findings. Redox Biol. 2013; 1:448-56. PMC: 3814973. DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2013.09.003. View

18.

Jimenez-Osorio A, Garcia-Nino W, Gonzalez-Reyes S, Alvarez-Mejia A, Guerra-Leon S, Salazar-Segovia J . The Effect of Dietary Supplementation With Curcumin on Redox Status and Nrf2 Activation in Patients With Nondiabetic or Diabetic Proteinuric Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study. J Ren Nutr. 2016; 26(4):237-44. DOI: 10.1053/j.jrn.2016.01.013. View

19.

Liu G, Wang Q, Shi Y, Peng X, Liu H, Peng Y . Resveratrol Attenuates Adriamycin-Induced Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis through C3aR/C5aR- Sphingosine Kinase 1 Pathway. Pharmacology. 2017; 100(5-6):253-260. DOI: 10.1159/000479525. View

20.

Liu X, Cao W, Qi J, Li Q, Zhao M, Chen Z . Leonurine ameliorates adriamycin-induced podocyte injury via suppression of oxidative stress. Free Radic Res. 2018; 52(9):952-960. DOI: 10.1080/10715762.2018.1500021. View