Cyclosporine A and Sargassum Wightii : For Better Renal Health

Rejection is the major problem during transplantation, although it is one of the pivotal treatment options for kidney failure. It requires taking medicines for years long to maintain the transplanted kidney. Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a potent immunosuppressant used in the field of transplantation to prevent rejection. As the clinical use of CsA presents the inconvenience of nephrotoxicity, studies have been directed towards finding ways to counteract its toxicity. Although diverse mechanisms and factors are responsible for its nephrotoxicity, oxidative stress is the major cause. Thus strengthening the antioxidative capacity by supplementation of antioxidants along with CsA would be a good therapeutic approach to diminish its nephrotoxic effects. Sulphated polysaccharides from a marine brown algae "Sargassum wightii", a natural glycosaminoglycan with various therapeutic applications were tested for its efficacy against CsA-induced nephrotoxicity. The study reveals wide potential of sulphated polysaccharides as an antioxidant, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-hypertensive and anti-apoptotic agents, thereby proving to be a promising candidate in mitigating the nephrotoxic effects of CsA.