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This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Arctium lappa (AL) on gentamicin (GM)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups including: control group; GM group (intrapritoneal injection, IP, of 100 mg/kg GM B.W.); GM+AL group (received IP injection of 100 mg/kg GM and 500 mg/kg AL orally) and AL group (received 500 mg/kg AL orally). The experimental period lasted for 10 days. Nephrotoxicity was biochemically and histologically evaluated. The concentrations of creatinine, urea, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxide hydrogen (H₂O₂) in the serum samples were determined. Moreover, histological examinations were performed. The animals treated with gentamicin showed significantly higher serum urea, creatinine, MDA and H₂O₂ levels and lower SOD activity. However, co-administration of AL produced amelioration in biochemical indices of nephrotoxicity in serum. Histomorphological examination showed necrosis and desquamation of tubular epithelial cells in the renal cortex in animals treated with gentamicin whereas simultaneous administration of AL and GM reduced histological damages. The data obtained suggest that treatment with AL extract can help to reduce gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity.
 
 
 

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Gentamicin (GM) is an antibiotic widely used against gram-negative infections. However, its clinical application is limited due to its nephrotoxicity. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the nephrotoxicity of gentamicin. Previous studies showed that Rosa canina L. (RC) fruits possess antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of RC on GM-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups and treated as follows: Group 1 (control group) was treated by the oral administration of 1 ml normal saline, Group 2 was treated by a 100 mg/Kg (B.W) dose of GM intraperitoneally, Group 3 was treated by oral administration of 200 mg/Kg (B.W) of RC followed by a 100 mg/Kg (B.W) dose of GM intraperitoneally, Group 4 was treated by oral administration of 400 mg/Kg (B.W) RC followed by a 100 mg/Kg (B.W) of GM intraperitoneally, and Group 5 was treated by oral administration of 400 mg/Kg (B.W) of RC. The nephrotoxicity observed in each group was histopathologically evaluated by light microscopy and biochemically evaluated by measuring the levels of creatinine and urea in the blood serum. The relative weight of kidney in each gentamicin-treated animals in the group 2 was increased in comparison with those in the control group (p<0.05), however, the administration of RC extract decreased the kidney somatic index toward the normal level. While the animals treated with gentamicin showed significantly higher levels of serum urea and creatinine (p<0.001), simultaneous coadministration of GM with a high dose of RC (400 mg/Kg (B.W) ameliorated the biochemical indices of nephrotoxicity, showing the significant decrease in the levels of serum creatinine and urea. In addition, Histomorphological examination showed that the rats treated with GM suffered necrosis and desquamation of tubular epithelial cells, glomerular stasis and inflammatory cell infiltration in renal cortex, while simultaneous administration of RC and GM reduced those histologically damages. It could be concluded that the administration of RC showed a protective effect on the rat kidney by preventing renal damages induced by GM, therefore, the RC-based supplements could be proposed to minimize the GM-induced renal damages.