Aristolochic acid nephropathy is a progressive tubulointerstitial toxic injury caused by the intake of aristolochic acid-containing plants or foods, which ultimately progresses to end-stage renal disease. Aristolochic acid A exerts severe nephrotoxic effects. Previous studies have demonstrated that high-dose aristolochic acid A directly damages renal proximal tubular epithelial cells within a short period, leading to cellular degeneration, apoptosis and necrosis. Its clinicopathological manifestations include progressive atrophy of proximal tubules, obvious interstitial fibrosis, and rapid progression to end-stage renal disease. The mechanism of acute kidney injury induced by aristolochic acid A is consistent with that of herb-induced renal toxicity, which makes it an ideal model to simulate clinical renal toxic injury.

SD rats (female, 220–280 g)
Modeling method: Continuous intraperitoneal injection of aristolochic acid A for 3 days to successfully establish the acute kidney injury model.
Evaluation index: HE staining

Renal tissue HE staining