The effect of Balinese Purple Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) tuber ethanolic extract on renal Nox4 level in mice with a high purine diet

Abstract

Background: TLR4-NADPH Oxidase-4 or TLR4-Nox4 signaling pathway uric acid (UA)-induced oxidative stress is involved in urate nephropathy pathogenesis, which can culminate into renal fibrosis, a common feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Based on the hyperuricemic and antioxidant effect of anthocyanin on the kidney, we assumed that Balinese purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) tuber in its ethanolic extract form (PSPEE) could suppress the activation of renal TLR4-Nox4 signaling. This study was aimed to investigate the renoprotective effect of PSPEE via renal Nox4 downregulation, using a murine model induced with a high-purine diet.Methods: This study was an experimental laboratory study using a post-test only with a control group design among 38 male Swiss mice. The Male Swiss mice (20-30 g) were randomly allocated into 2 groups, namely, the control group (treated with a high-purine diet for 7 days) and the PSPEE group (treated with a high-purine diet for 7 days and PSPEE for 14 days). The serum uric acid (sUA) level was quantified using the UA phosphatase method. Meanwhile, the renal Nox4 level was quantified using ELISA. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 for Windows.Results: Our study found that the renal Nox4 levels were 18.65±1.67 ng/mL and 15.14±1.66 ng/mL for the control and PSPEE groups. Based on the statistical analysis, there was no statistically significant difference between control and PSPEE groups (p>0.05).Conclusion: Balinese PSPEE tends to decrease renal Nox4 level in high-purine diet-treated mice, but fails to show a significant effect.