Nephroceuticals as a new hope for the treatment of kidney diseases

Nephroceuticals are natural or pharmacologically active compounds used to manage and even reverse certain kidney diseases. The term “nephroceuticals” is relatively new, although the study of utilizing natural or active compounds to manage kidney disease has been emerging for many years. Nephroceuticals have shown promise in supporting conventional therapies such as dialysis and kidney transplantation, and are purported to have fewer adverse effects compared to conventional chemical compounds


Implication for health policy/practice/research/ medical education
Nephroceuticals may be useful for the prevention of acute kidney injuries, the reduction of symptoms of chronic kidney disease, and support dialysis treatment. More excitingly, nephroceuticals present hope for the reversal of renal damage by halting the progression of fibrosis and inflammation, and optimizing cellular repair and their regeneration. The beneficial effects of nephroceuticals in improving renal function against conventional therapies such as dialysis, and may reduce the risk and severity of developing chronic kidney disease, or cease the progression if kidney damage in some patients.
be the only available therapeutic option. Nephroceuticals may play a role in supporting these forms of therapy (10).

Renal fibrosis and inflammation
Nephroceuticals have been shown to decrease renal fibrosis and inhibit inflammation progression, which is of paramount importance to restore kidney function and protect against kidney damage (10,11).

Proteinuria
Nephroceuticals have been investigated for their ability to reduce proteinuria levels, an essential marker for kidney function, and thus reducing the risk of further renal damage (12,13).

Renal oxidative stress
Nephroceuticals also address oxidative stress, which is an important factor in the development and progression of kidney disease by reducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the renal tubules (14,15).

Future directions for nephroceuticals
Integrating nephroceuticals into clinical practice will require more extensive clinical trials to support their efficacy and safety, particularly regarding long-term usage. More research is needed to establish the optimal formulation, dosage, and delivery of nephroceuticals to maximize their efficacy and safety. Additionally, more attention should be directed towards identifying novel nephroprotective compounds to address new and emerging kidney diseases (16,17).
These compounds must have detailed scientific investigations to determine the optimal dosage, the route of administration, the purification process, and the safety profiles before being used for routine clinical management (2,18). Here are some reasons why investigating formulations, optimal dosage, and administration is crucial: 1. 1. Determining safety profiles: Safety is critical when evaluating the efficacy of nephroceuticals in renal disease management. An investigation of the formulation provides an understanding of potential side effects and their management approach.
Standardization of the extraction and purification methods of natural compounds must be established to remove contaminants and verify the purity of each compound (19,20). 2. Establishing efficacious dosing ranges: Investigating the dose-response relationship of nephroceuticals is critical to establish an optimal dose range with the desired therapeutic effect. An appropriately selected dose of nephroceuticals is crucial to achieving the potential health benefits of the therapeutic agents while avoiding unwanted side effects (1,21,22). 3. Determining route of administration: The route of administration of a nephroceutical, whether through intravenous, oral, or topical application, could significantly affect its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Determining the appropriate administration route is paramount to ensure the optimal therapeutic drug delivery and in achieving sufficient bioavailability that can produce the desired effect (23,24). 4. Establishing consistency: Investigating the formulation of nephroceuticals provides a means of ensuring reproducibility, efficacy consistency, and long-term stability. Standardization of the formulation and dosing principles provides the baseline of comparability with conventional therapy and methods of administration (25)(26)(27).

Conclusion
Nephroceuticals show a lot of promise in managing kidney diseases through a variety of mechanisms, including antioxidation, anti-inflammatory actions, neuro-regeneration and anti-apoptosis. These unique mechanisms of actions highlight the potential role of nephroceuticals as key management strategies for renal diseases. Proper investigations leading to their formulations, optimal dosage, and administration will help establish evidence of their efficacy in clinical settings. Although more substantial clinical trials are required, it is essential to recognize the potential roles of nephroceuticals in comprehensively improving outcomes in managing renal diseases.

Conflicts of interest
The author declares that he has no competing interests.

Ethical issues
Ethical issues (including plagiarism, data fabrication, double publication) have been completely observed by the author.
Funding/support None.