Does Hypoxis hemerocallidea mitigate renal histopathological injuries following highly active antiretroviral therapy? An experimental animal study.

BACKGROUND: Nephrotoxicity has become an important public health problem following the success recorded with highly active antiretroviral therapy, and there is paucity of literature reporting the attenuating influence of plant-based adjuvants that can mitigate the effects. METHODS: Sixty three adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 9 groups (A-I) and treated as follows: group A received HAART cocktail (lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine), group B received HAART and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (HH) extract (200 mg/kg), group C received HAART and HH (100 mg/kg), group D received HAART and vitamin C, group E received HAART and vitamin E, group F received HAART, vitamin C and vitamin E, group G received HH extract (100 mg/kg), group H received HH extract (200 mg/kg), and group I received saline as placebo. After 56 days, animals were euthanized, kidneys harvested and prepared for H&E staining and blood samples were collected for BUN and serum creatinine analyses. RESULTS: The results from histological slides showed distorted glomerular and epithelial components with extensive loss of Bowman's capillary integrity in HAART-treated group. Adjuvant treatment with HH both high and low doses did not show any remarkable attenuating influence. However, HH100mg/kg-alone treated group showed improved histological layout as compared to the higher dose. Co-administration of HAART and vitamins C and E did not improve the parameters examined. The serum creatinine and BUN levels were significantly increased (P<0.05) following HAART with observable increase in kidney body weight ratio. SCR levels in group D was significantly reduced (P<0.05) but elevated in groups B, C, G and H (P<0.001). Groups B and C, as well as groups F and H recorded higher BUN values (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant treatment with HH extract did not attenuate the nephrotoxicity of HAART in this model.

Coconut Oil Extract Mitigates Testicular Injury Following Adjuvant Treatment with Antiretroviral Drugs.

Increased access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has made the management of drug toxicities an increasingly crucial component of HIV. This study investigated the effects of adjuvant use of coconut oil and HAART on testicular morphology and seminal parameters in Sprague- Dawley rats. Twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 153~169 g were distributed into four groups (A-D) and treated as follows: A served as control (distilled water); B (HAART cocktail- Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine); C (HAART + Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg) and D (Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg). After 56 days of treatment, animals were killed and laparotomy to exercise the epididymis for seminal fluid analyses done whilst testicular tissues were processed for histomorphometric studies. Result showed a significant decline in sperm motility (P < 0.05) and count (P < 0.0001) in HAART-treated animals while there was insignificant changes in other parameters in groups C and D except count that was reduced (P < 0.0001) when compared with controls. Histomorphological studies showed HAART caused disorders in seminiferous tubular architecture with significant (P < 0.01) decline in epithelial height closely mirrored by extensive reticulin framework and positive PAS cells. Adjuvant Virgin coconut oil + HAART resulted in significant decrease in seminiferous tubular diameter (P < 0.05), but other morphometric and histological parameters were similar to control or Virgin coconut oil alone (which showed normal histoarchitecture levels). While derangements in testicular and seminal fluid parameters occurred following HAART, adjuvant treatment with Virgin coconut oil restored the distortions emanating thereof.