Role of Boerhavia Diffusa in Chronic Kidney Disease

Renal failure is a complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is characterized by gradual kidney function loss and degradation of the kidney parenchyma. Nephrin is a transmembrane protein that maintains the slit diaphragm of renal podocyte. In CKD, podocyte effacement causes damage to glomerular basement membrane barrier leading to proteinuria. TGF- β is a key factor in CKD progression. Boerhavia diffusa (BD), an Ayurveda herb, is used in treatment of various diseases particularly in relation to the urinary system. This book elaborates the attempt made to evaluate the effect of ethanolic extract of BD on the expression of nephrin and TGF-β in adenine induced CKD rats. The structural and functional damage brought on by adenine-induced nephrotoxicity was countered by protective action of BD by up regulation of nephrin expression and downregulation of TGF-beta expression. Therefore, this book advocates BD as an alternative drug for the treatment of CKD after further clinical trials.