Nephroprotection of punicalagin in rat model of endotoxemic acute kidney injury. 
The potential nephroprotection of punicalagin (PNG) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute kidney injury in rats was investigated.  Rats received a single i.v.  dose of LPS (5 mg/kg), and treated with PNG (50 mg/kg, i.p.),  1 h before, and 1 h following LPS administration.  LPS caused significant increases of serum creatinine and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin.  LPS also resulted in significant increases in interleukin-18, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and myeloperoxidase, inducible nitric oxide synthase, caspases 3, 8 and 9 activities, and a significant decrease in total antioxidant capacity in kidney tissues.  PNG significantly ameliorated the alterations in the measured parameters.  Additionally, PNG attenuated the histopathological injury and reduced kidney injury molecule-1 expression in kidneys of rats that received LPS.  It was concluded that PNG ameliorated endotoxemic acute kidney injury in rats by counteracting inflammation, oxidative/nitrative stress and apoptosis.