Giving a ray of hope to several patients afflicted with kidney diseases which are on the rise in the country as in the world, researchers from Jamia Hamdard has found that Neeri KFT, an Indian traditional ayurvedic polyherbal formulation, is effective in regulating the functions of at least six genes variants causing dysfunction to the vital organ.
Ahead of the World Kidney Day on March 9, the researchers said that though the herbal drug, manufactured by AIMIL Pharma, is already known for its therapeutic properties, a trial was conducted for the first time to investigate nephroprotective action of the drug against genes related to kidney dysfunction using in-silico, in-vitro and in-vivo approaches.
The results were encouraging in all the categories. The researchers explained that six genes — CASP, IEL, AKT, ACE-2, AGTR-1 and SOD-1 — are responsible for regulating the functioning of the kidney. In other words, proteins associated with these genes help in ensuring the health of this vital organ. Any variation in these molecules can complicate or damage the kidney structure.
The study published in the journal Biomedicines found that the compounds such as gallic acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid were the major constituents of Neeri KFT, while network pharmacology analysis indicated a strong interaction between polyphenols and the genes involved in the pathophysiology of kidney disease. Similarly, the in-vivo study showed a significant ameliorative effect of the herbal drug on biochemical markers and antioxidant enzymes and it regulated inflammatory cytokine expression in kidney tissues.
Sanchit Sharma from AIMIL Pharma pointed out that the herbal formulation based on time-tested phytoconstituents of extracts of medicinal plants like punarnava, giloy, gokhru, palash and varuna has been developed after intensive scientific research. He was of the view that evidence-based research in the Ayush systems of medicine will only help strengthen their acceptance among people.