Protective effects of andrographolide on lead-induced kidney injury through inhibiting inflammatory and oxidative responses in common carp

Abstract Lead, an environmental toxicant in our daily life, has been reported to have adverse effectson human and animals. Previous studies showed lead could accumulate in kidney tissues of carp and cause injury to the kidney tissues. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of andrographolide on lead-induced kidney injury in common carp and to clarify the possible mechanism. The results showed that treatment of andrographolide significantly inhibited lead-induced TNF-α and IL-1β production. Meanwhile, the MPO activity and MDA content were also inhibited by andrographolide. The activities of GSH and SOD were decreased and treatment of andrographolide significantly up-regulated GSH and SOD activities. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results showed andrographolide dose-dependently suppressed lead-induced NF-κB activation. Andrographolide increased Nrf2 and HO-1 expression in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, this study we found andrographolide could protect carp against lead-induced kidney injury through inhibiting inflammatory and oxidative responses.