Potential Renoprotective Effects of Silymarin Against Nephrotoxic Drugs: A Review of Literature

Drug-induced nephrotoxicity (DIN) accounts for up to sixty percent of hospital acquired acute kidney injury. Several efforts have been made to reduce drug-induced renal damage; however, DIN remains a matter of concern, with substantial impact on patients and the health system. Silymarin is a drug that has been used for many years in alternate and modern medicine for treating hepatic diseases. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects make it an interesting herbal medicine, and these properties have implicated this compound as a potential renoprotective agent. Based on the findings from animal studies, this review concluded that silymarin might exert significant protective or ameliorative effects against drug-induced kidney disease, especially against cisplatin-induced renal damage. Whether the protective administration of silymarin could be an effective clinical pharmacological strategy to prevent DIN is a question that remains to be answered in clinical trials. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see “For Readers”) may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue’s contents page.