Preventing contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) with herbal medicines: A review

Objectives: Currently, the use of iodinated contrast media in diagnostic imaging has been increased in clinical medicine. Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is an important adverse effect of contrast media injection. According to the significant role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of CIN, different herbal antioxidants have been used for the prevention of nephropathy in different studies. In this review, we discussed the preventive effects of herbal medicine and natural products against CIN.

Methods: We searched the electronic databases or search engines including PubMed, Scopus, ISI, Google Scholar with search terms such as "Contrast-induced nephropathy" and "Herbal medicine," "Contrast acute kidney injury" AND "natural products" and similar headings such as plant and extract.

Results: Known medicinal plants and active ingredients such as green tea, ginger, garlic, silymarin, curcumin, resveratrol, and thymoquinone have been examined for prophylactic effects or treatment of contrast media nephropathy.

Conclusion: Herbal medicines have promising effects in the laboratory-based studies for the prevention and/or treatment of CIN. However, more practical and completed clinical trials are needed to investigate the clinical benefits of natural products against CIN.

Keywords: anti-oxidant; contrast-induced nephropathy; natural products; phytotherapy; postcontrast acute kidney injury; prevention.