The Protective Effect of Sodium Molybdate on Folic Acid‐Induced Chronic Kidney Injury in Rat Model: A Preclinical Investigation

Chronic kidney injury is a cosmopolitan concern of health as it is related to high morbidity and mortality. The current study was a preclinical investigation that used a rat model to study the renal protective effect of sodium molybdate (SM) against folic acid (FA)-induced nephropathy. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 250 mg/kg FA. SM orally administered at doses of 0.1 and 0.2 g/kg/day for 35 days. SM attenuated FA-induced chronic kidney injury that demonstrated by a significant decrease in urine total proteins/24 h, serum creatinine, urea concentrations, and LDH activity, and renal MDA concentration and elevation in renal TAC and GSH content. Furthermore, renal TNF-α, NF-κB, caspase-3, α-SMA, and hydroxyproline contents significantly reduced, meanwhile renal Bcl2 significantly increased. FA-induced histopathological alterations were mitigated. SM's renoprotective effect against FA-induced renal injury might be attributed to its free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and/or antifibrotic mechanisms.