Curcumin and its combination with a reduced dose of rosuvastatin: A promising therapy for chronic kidney disease and associated dyslipidemia in rat animal models

Dina Lagumdžija; Aida Hamzić Mehmedbašić; Džan Ahmed Jesenković; Bakir Kudić; Dina Kapić; Esad Ćosović; Orhan Lepara; Belma Pehlivanović Kelle; Jasminka Prguda-Mujić; Jasna Kusturica; Naida Herenda Pušina; Fahir Bečić; Aida Kulo Ćesić

doi:10.17305/bb.2024.11091

Authors

Dina Lagumdžija Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8042-1643
Aida Hamzić Mehmedbašić Clinic of Nephrology, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4967-7616
Džan Ahmed Jesenković Department for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7238-7687
Bakir Kudić Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2987-7872
Dina Kapić Department of Histology and Embryology, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0304-3770
Esad Ćosović Department of Histology and Embryology, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0481-264X
Orhan Lepara Department of Physiology, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Belma Pehlivanović Kelle Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1574-493X
Jasminka Prguda-Mujić Institute for Biomedical Diagnostic and Research Medicover BH, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jasna Kusturica Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4120-7230
Naida Herenda Pušina Clinic for Anesthesiology and Reanimatology, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4726-0171
Fahir Bečić Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Aida Kulo Ćesić Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5891-3780

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2024.11091

Keywords:

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), adenine, curcumin, rosuvastatin, dyslipidemia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to confirm the effects of curcumin and to investigate the effects of its combination with a reduced dose of rosuvastatin in an adenine-induced model of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated dyslipidemia in rats. Renal function and morphology, as well as lipid status, were assessed using laboratory parameters and histopathological analysis. Male Wistar rats (n=36) randomly divided into six groups, were treated for 24 days: normal control (standard diet), CKD control (adenine diet, 0.75% w/w adenine-supplemented diet), curcumin (100 mg/kg/day + adenine diet), rosuvastatin minimal therapeutic dose (MTD) (5 mg/day + adenine diet), rosuvastatin reduced dose (RD, 25% of rosuvastatin MTD + adenine diet), and rosuvastatin RD + curcumin (25% of rosuvastatin MTD + curcumin 100 mg/kg/day + adenine diet) group. While rosuvastatin alone showed only antilipemic action, both curcumin alone and its combination with a reduced dose of rosuvastatin showed better renal protection with lower serum creatinine levels and milder renal morphological alterations, as well as better antilipemic action with lower levels of triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols compared with the levels in CKD control rats. Treatment with curcumin alone also resulted in a significantly higher estimated glomerular filtration rate, lower uric acid levels, and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, while the combined therapy additionally resulted in higher serum albumin levels, lower total cholesterol, and both atherogenic and coronary risk indexes compared with CKD control rats. The results of this study confirmed the beneficial effects of curcumin alone and provided new evidence for the beneficial effects of its combination with a reduced dose of rosuvastatin in rats with CKD and associated dyslipidemia.