• Scutellarin inhibits ferroptosis in human kidney cells and mouse macrophages by enhancing antioxidant capacity via Nrf2 signaling.
• Scutellarin upregulates Nrf2 target genes HO-1 and GPX4, and its protective effects are reversed by the Nrf2 inhibitor brusatol.
• In a folic acid-induced acute kidney injury mouse model, scutellarin mitigates renal damage and suppresses ferroptosis markers such as 4-HNE.
• These findings suggest scutellarin as a potential therapeutic agent for ferroptosis-related diseases, particularly acute kidney injury.