Effect of pomegranate seed oil against gentamicin -induced nephrotoxicity in rat.

Abstract

Gentamicin, an important aminoglycoside, is used to treat many types of bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative organisms. It is a nephrotoxic antibiotic, which causes acute tubular necrosis, and its toxicity remains a major problem in clinical use. This study investigates the effect of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in adult male rats. Animals were randomly divided into four groups. Group one was treated with saline (1ml/kg, i.p.), group 2 received gentamicin 80mg/kg/day for 6days and groups 3 and 4 received PSO 0.32 and 0.64mg/kg/day i.p. respectively, 1h before gentamicin. Serum urea, creatinine levels, urinary glucose and protein concentrations were evaluated as the markers of acute renal failure. Renal antioxidant indicators such as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS), and total thiol contents, were also determined. A significant elevation of serum creatinine and urea levels as well as urine glucose and protein concentrations were observed in gentamicin treated group. Gentamicin also caused a significant decrease in total thiol content and a significant increase in TBARS levels in kidney homogenate samples. PSO pretreatment resulted in a significant and dose-dependent decrease in serum creatinine and urea levels as well as urine glucose and protein concentrations when compared with gentamicin treated alone. PSO also significantly reversed the gentamicin-induced depletion in total thiol content and elevation in TBARS in kidney homogenate samples. The results of the present study indicate that PSO clearly attenuated gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity, but elucidation of the mechanism(s) of this protection needs more investigation.