ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.

Sec. Renal Pharmacology

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1548660

Magnolia kobus DC. alleviates adenine-induced chronic kidney disease by regulating ferroptosis in C57BL/6 mice

Provisionally accepted
Jong Min  KimJong Min KimYiseul  KimYiseul KimHyun-Jin  NaHyun-Jin NaHaeng Jeon  HurHaeng Jeon HurSang-Hee  LeeSang-Hee LeeMi Jeong  SungMi Jeong Sung*
  • Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI), Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Magnolia kobus DC. (MO) is a medicinal plant that reportedly possesses various bioactive properties, including anti-hyperplastic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive disorder characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress, which leads to renal dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate the renoprotective effects of MO against adenine-induced CKD in C57BL/6 mice. MO significantly attenuated renal injury by reducing blood urea nitrogen level and morphological change. Additionally, MO effectively reduced inflammation by inhibiting the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, F4/80, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. MO also considerably ameliorated adenine-induced renal fibrosis by regulating the suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic/matrix metalloproteinase signaling. Furthermore, MO significantly protected against renal senescence by reducing the protein expression of p53, p16, and p21 induced by CKD. Additionally, MO supplementation suppressed CKD-induced ferroptosis and ferritinophagy by regulating the protein expression of SLC7A11 glutathione peroxidase 4, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, human palmitoyl-CoA ligase, NADPH oxidase 4, 4hydroxynonenal, transferrin receptor, heme oxygenase-1, nuclear receptor coactivator 4, beclin-1, microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B, and kallikrein-related peptidase 4. In conclusion, this study suggests that MO may be a potential functional food, pharmaceutical, or medicinal plant that can help regulate mechanisms associated with renal health.

Keywords: Magnolia kobus DC., Chronic Kidney Disease, ferroptosis, Fibrosis, Ferritinophagy

Received: 20 Dec 2024; Accepted: 14 Apr 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Kim, Kim, Na, Hur, Lee and Sung. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Mi Jeong Sung, Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI), Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea

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