Protective effects of Achyranthes Radix root extract against CDDP-induced liver and kidney damage in SD rats: Application of big data analysis to traditional medicine

Big data analysis methods are useful tools for sorting valuable data and products. Achyranthes Radix root extract (AR) is a well-known herbal medicine in East Asia due to its anti-osteoarthritis, pro-circulatory, and anti-osteoporosis effects. In this stud y, we investigated the liver- and kidney-protective effects of AR by applying big data analysis to traditional medicine. CDDP (cis-diamminedichloridoplatinum) is an effective cancer cell anti-proliferative agent used in the treatment of diverse types of tumors. However, it is clinically limited due to liver and kidney toxicity. The current study was designed to assess the potential protective effects of AR against CDDP-induced hepato-renal toxicity. For this purpose, male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to four groups, each consisting of four animals. Intravenous injection or oral administration of either saline or AR was performed daily for 14 days, whereas CDDP was injected intraperitoneally on day 3 following AR treatment. Serum biochemistry results revealed that CDDP induced clear hepatic and renal damage while the AR treatment groups showed less damage relative to controls. Next, we tested the pharmacokinetics of AR using 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE), which is the most abundant component of AR extract. After intravenous administration of AR, the plasma concentration of 20-HE rapidly declined with a terminal half-life (t1/2) of 0.99±0.47 h. The area under the plasma concentration vs. time curve was 24.96±3.5 h*ng/mL. The present study provides valuable tools for further verification studies of the classical herbal literature and its scientific relevance.