Natural Prevention and Treatment for Chronic Kidney Disease

• Late-Stage Disease
• Kidney Transplants

Chronic kidney disease is a growing concern worldwide. A number of conditions can contribute to chronic kidney disease. These include acute kidney injury from toxins and certain drugs as well as chronic inflammatory conditions such as diabetes. Progression can lead to end-stage renal disease and cause kidneys to fail. ^(vii.263)

How Can Turmeric Help?

Research suggests that turmeric's curcumin compounds may help prevent the development or progression of chronic kidney disease. In addition, curcumin helps protect the heart from the negative effects of chronic kidney disease. ^{(vii.197, 265)}

How does the turmeric compound work to prevent or counteract chronic kidney disease? In animal models of the condition, studies show curcumin compounds have the following effects: ^{(vii.197, 265)}

In these studies, the animals were given daily oral curcumin doses of 60 mg/kg of body weight. Lower doses of 15-30 mg/kg of body weight have been shown to be ineffective in Wistar rat models of chronic kidney disease and failure. ^(vii.197)

Effects in Late-Stage Disease

In animal models of late-stage chronic kidney disease, curcumin significantly reduced dangerous inflammatory proteins and cytokines. 75 mg/kg of curcumin a day for 10 weeks showed comparable effects to the ACE inhibitor drug enalapril. ^(vii.266)

ACE inhibitors can help inhibit kidney failure. Turmeric has plenty of them, including:

• Alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) ^{(vii.18, 239)}
• Alpha-terpineol ^{(vii.20, 48, 209)}
• Curcumin ^(vii.233)
• Ferulic acid ^{(vii.47, 48, 213)}
• Gamma-terpinene ^(vii.48)
• Niacin ^{(vii.29, 58)}
• Resveratrol ^{(vii.27, 239)}

Besides curcumin, many of turmeric's other compounds also inhibit COX-2 and TNF-α; (including some of those above). These are the same inflammatory proteins curcumin and enalapril blocked in this study. ^{(vii.20-22, 29, 45, 49)}

Turmeric Compounds Reduce Risk of Organ Rejection

Kidney transplants are at risk for ischemia-reperfusion injury. What does that mean? In essence, it's a two-phase injury: ^(vii.7)

• Ischemia is cell and tissue injury that happens when blood flow is restricted, causing a loss of oxygen and nutrients.
• Reperfusion occurs when blood flow returns to the area of the body where it was restricted. Although necessary, initially it can actually cause more damage. This is because the sudden influx of oxygen molecules in the blood initiates inflammatory responses and stimulates free radical formation.

In the case of a kidney transplant, this can also increase the risk of organ rejection. In animal and clinical studies, treatment with turmeric's curcumin compounds show benefits that could decrease cell death and injury after kidney transplant: ^(vii.267)

Preventing Organ Rejection in End-Stage Kidney Disease

TYPE OF STUDY	STUDY DETAILS	TAKE AWAY POINT
Randomized Clinical Trial 43 patients with kidney transplants dependent on dialysis were randomly assigned to take a placebo, a low dose of curcumin and quercetin, or a high dose of the 2 compounds. (vii.268) 480-960 mg/day of Curcumin 20-40 mg/day of Quercetin (for one month following- kidney transplant surgery)	↓ Organ rejection - 0% in the high-dose supplement group; no difference between placebo and group given low doses of the supplements (14.3% rejection). (vii.268) ↓ Tremor - 13% in the high-dose supplement group; no difference between placebo and low-dose group (46%). (vii.268) ↑ Graft kidney function faster at both dosage levels (better at higher doses). (vii.268)	Turmeric's curcumin and quercetin compounds can help improve outcomes following kidney transplants.
Animal Study Measured effectiveness against negative side effects from immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin A. (vii.263)	Cyclosporin A is used to help prevent organ rejection after transplant surgery, but it causes kidney damage and dysfunction. Treatment with curcumin reduced these side effects by: (vii.263) ↓ Free radicals. ↑ Natural antioxidant levels.
Animal Study Measured effectiveness of liposomal curcumin in an animal model of renal ischemia-reperfusion. (vii.267)	↑ Antioxidant levels. (vii.267) ↓ Urea nitrogen and creatinine levels in the blood (signs of kidney dysfunction). (vii.267) ↓ Cell death. (vii.267) ↓ Impaired blood flow. (vii.267) ↓ Tissue necrosis. (vii.267) ↓ Inflammatory cytokine and transcription factor proteins, kinase enzymes, and immune system cells. (vii.267) ↓ Free radicals. (vii.267)