Abstract: 【Objective】 The aim of this study was to investigate the alleviating effect of diosgenin (Dio) on kidney injury induced by cisplatin (CP) in rats.【Method】 Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (C), Dio group (Dio), model group (CP) and Dio intervention group (Dio+CP).C and CP groups were given a gavage of 6 mL 0.5% CMC-Na, Dio and Dio+CP groups were given a gavage of 60 mg/kg for 10 days.On day 7 of the experiment, CP and Dio+CP groups were injected with CP (6 mg/kg) through tail vein, and then Dio was gavaged continuously every day.After 72 h of CP administration, the rats in each group were sacrificed, and the renal tissues were separated aseptically, and the renal pathological changes were observed by HE staining.Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were detected by kit.Renal tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nuclear factor κB p65 (NFκB p65), cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) and IL-10 mRNA and protein expressions were detected by Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting respectively.The expressions of kidney receptor interacting protein kinase-1 (RIPK1) and RIPK3 protein were detected by immunochemistry.【Result】 HE staining results showed that the renal structure was normal in control and Dio groups.In CP group, the epithelial cells of the renal tubules were exfoliated and vacuolated, and the renal structure was destroyed.The damage of the renal tubules in Dio+CP group was significantly reduced.Compared with control group, the content of MDA was extremely significantly increased (P<0.01), the activities of T-AOC and CAT in CP and Dio+CP groups were extremely significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with CP group, the activities of T-AOC and CAT in kidney of Dio+CP group were extremely significantly increased (P<0.01), while the content of MDA was extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01).The results of Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting showed that compared with control group, the mRNA and protein expressions of TNF-α, COX-2, NFκB p65 and IL-1β, in the kidney of CP group were extremely significantly increased (P<0.01).The expressions of IL-10 mRNA and protein were extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01).Compared with CP group, the mRNA and protein expressions of TNF-α, COX-2, NFκB p65 and IL-1β in Dio+CP group were significantly or extremely significantly decreased (P<0.05; P<0.01), the mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-10 were extremely significantly increased (P<0.01).Immunohistochemical results showed that compared with control group, the expressions of RIPK1 and RIPK3 proteins in kidney of CP group were extremely significantly increased (P<0.01).Compared with CP group, the protein expressions of RIPK1 and RIPK3 protein in kidney of Dio+CP group were extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01) and significantly(P<0.05) decreased, respectively.【Conclusion】 Dio could alleviate CP-induced renal injury in rats by inhibiting renal oxidative stress, inflammatory response and programmed necrosis of cells.

Key words: rats; diosgenin; cisplatin; programmed necrosis; kidney injury