RESUMEN
Eriobotrya japonica has been used as a medicinal plant for a long time, and its leaves are known to have many physiological actions such as anti-inflammatory, antitussive, and expectoran. In contrast, Eriobotrya japonica seeds are only known to contain amygdalin, and almost no investigations of its pharmacological action have been performed. Moreover, some anticancer agents such as adriamycin cause renal disorders as an adverse effect, and the mechanism of the adverse effect is considered to involve oxidative stress. We have reported that Eriobotrya japonica seed extract has an inhibitory effect on liver disorders. In this study, we prepared a 70% ethanol extract of Eriobotrya japonica seeds and administered the extract to rats with renal disorder induced by a single administration of 7 mg/kg body weight adriamycin, and investigated the usefulness of the extract. Increases in indices of renal function, plasma urea nitrogen, were significantly inhibited in rats treated with the Eriobotrya japonica extract compared to rats treated with tap water. In addition, the renal tissue level of reduced glutathione was significantly high in rats that ingested the extract, while the lipid peroxide levels in plasma and renal tissue were significantly low. However, no effect on renal tissue antioxidative enzymes was observed, suggesting that Eriobotrya japonica seed extract has direct antioxidative action. Based on these findings, Eriobotrya japonica seed extract may be effective in reducing the oxidative stress of adriamycin-induced renal disorder. Therefore, ingestion of Eriobotrya japonica seed extract may contribute to a reduction of the adverse effects of adriamycin.