Ameliorative Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Allium sativum (Garlic) Ethanol Extract on Renal Parenchyma of Gentamicin-induced Nephropathic Rats

To assess ameliorative effects of Ascorbic acid (AA) and Allium sativum ethanol extract (ASEE) on renal parenchyma of gentamicin-induced nephropathic rats.

Thirty Wistar rats (weighing between 180-205 g) were randomly divided into five groups (A-E). These include Group A administered with 0.9% Normal Saline (0.5 ml/kg body weight (b.w.)), Group B administered with gentamicin (GM, 200 mg/kg b.w.) intraperitoneally (i.p.), Group C administered with GM (200 mg/kg b.w.) i.p. and AA (200 mg/kg b.w.) orally, Group D administered with GM (200 mg/kg b.w.) i.p. and ASEE (200 mg/kg b.w.) orally and Group E administered with GM (200 mg/kg b.w.) i.p. and AA (200 mg/kg b.w.) orally and ASEE (200 mg/kg b.w.) orally. All administrations were done once daily for a period of ten (10) days. The body weight of study animals was recorded at the beginning and end of study period. After the study period, renal tissue of study animals was harvested, weighed, processed, stained using H & E technique. Stained sections were examined under microscope for histopathological changes within the renal parenchyma and were scored using image-J software.

The results of this study showed that exposure to GM results into significant (P < 0.05) reduction in body and renal tissue weight. However, therapeutic exposure to AA and ASEE either as individual or combined treatment regimen culminated into relatively null body and renal tissue weight loss among treatment groups C-E. In addition, exposure to GM precipitates prominent histopathological changes within renal parenchyma of study animals. As observed with body and renal tissue weight changes, treatment with AA and ASEE also comparatively ameliorate GM-induced nephropathy within renal parenchyma of study animals in treatment groups.

The findings of this study therefore showed that AA and ASEE exhibit ameliorative effect on the renal parenchyma of gentamicin-induced nephropathic rats either as distinct or combined treatment regimen.