Lack of nephroprotective efficacy of althaea officinalis flower extract against gentamicin renal toxicity in male rats

ABSTRACT

Gentamicin [GM] is used as antibiotic for Gram-negative infections, but its administration is limited due to a side-effect of nephrotoxicity. It was attempted to investigate the effect of Althaea officinalisflower extract [AOFE] against nephrotoxicity induced by GM in male rats. 30-year-old male Wistar rats were divided into five groups. Group 1 as a negative control group received AOFE 250 mg/kg/day. Groups 2-5 received saline, AOFE 50 mg/kg/day, AOFE 250 mg/kg/day, and AOFE 500 mg/kg/day for 9 days, respectively, and GM [100 mg/kg/day] was added from the 3rd day on. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were obtained, animals were sacrificed, and the kidneys were removed immediately. Gentamicin [in group 2] significantly increased serum levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine as well as the pathological damage score [P < 0.05] when compared with group 1. Low dose of AOFE did not decrease the nephrotoxicity induced by GM while the high dose of AOFE aggravated renal toxicity [P < 0.05]. Although AOFE acts as an antioxidant, at the doses used in the current study did not ameliorate nephrotoxicity induced by GM