Abstract:

To investigate the potential mechanism by which Cornus officinalis extract alleviates acute kidney injury, male C57BL/6J mice were selected. An acute kidney injury model was established in mice via intraperitoneal injection of gentamicin. The mice were divided into a normal control group, a model group, and a Cornus officinalis extract intervention group. Body weight, organ coefficients, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen concentrations, and inflammatory cytokine mass concentrations were measured. Renal histopathological changes were observed by tissue sectioning, and the composition of the intestinal flora was analyzed. The results showed that, compared with the model group, the rate of body weight change was lower in the Cornus officinalis extract group; serum creatinine and urea nitrogen concentrations were significantly reduced; IL-6 and TNF-α mass concentrations were significantly decreased, while IL-10 mass concentration was significantly increased; pathological injuries such as renal tubular epithelial cell necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, and fibrosis were significantly alleviated; the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the intestine increased, while the abundance of harmful bacteria decreased. The results indicate that Cornus officinalis extract can exert a protective effect on acute kidney injury by regulating inflammatory responses and improving the intestinal microecology. This study elucidates the effects of Cornus officinalis extract on acute kidney injury from histological, immunological, and microbiological perspectives, providing a reference for the functional evaluation and precise application of Cornus officinalis extract.

Key words: Cornus officinalis extract, acute kidney injury, renal function, inflammatory factor, gut microbiota