A student research team from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), through the Student Creativity Program for Exact Sciences Research (PKM-RE), has revealed the potential of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract as an innovative alternative treatment for Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).
This discovery offers hope, as current AKI management remains limited to supportive therapy without any specific treatment proven effective in reducing kidney damage.
“Acute kidney injury is a serious condition that can be fatal if not treated promptly. So far, available therapies only address symptoms and complications. Through this research, we aim to introduce a new herbal-based approach,” said Randika Taufiq Hari Nugraha, the team leader, on Tuesday (Sep. 23) at UGM.
Nugraha explained that rosemary leaves were chosen because they contain active compounds such as rosmarinic acid and quercetin, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the ability to protect kidneys from calcium oxalate crystal formation.
Using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and DPPH assays, the PKM-RE Rosnepharis Team successfully identified phenolic and flavonoid compounds in rosemary.
“Our findings show that rosemary has strong potential as a nephroprotective agent,” he explained.
Team member Devi Vita Sari added that combining these three methods provided strong scientific evidence of rosemary’s potential. The bioactive compounds detected were found to reduce oxidative stress, a major contributor to kidney damage.
“This highlights the importance of the interdisciplinary research we conducted. With this study, we hope to pave the way for the development of more effective and affordable natural-based therapies,” Sari said.
She expressed optimism that the research would bring broad benefits to society. Supported by funding from Simbelmawa and guided by UGM experts, the team hopes the findings can be published in a scientific journal and serve as a first step toward further health studies.
“We hope this discovery does not stop in the laboratory but can become a real solution for AKI patients in the future,” she added.
In addition to Randika Taufiq Hari Nugraha from the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM) and Devi Vita Sari from the Faculty of Pharmacy (Pharmacy UGM), the PKM-RE team consists of Artha Maressa Theodora Simanjuntak and Frengki Prabowo Saputro Wijayanto (FK-KMK UGM), and Evelyn Hartono from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FKH UGM). The team is supervised by Dr. Nur Arfian from FK-KMK UGM.
Contributor: PKM-RE Rosnepharis Team
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Illustration: Freepik