Protective effects of rosmarinus officinalis on gentamicin - Induced acute Kidney injury in male albino Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Abstract

Acute Kidney injury (AKI) is a worldwide public health challenge associated with high morbidity, mortality, and high healthcare costs in developing countries. Studies have established that one cause of these injuries is the use of gentamicin (GN) which is an affordable and efficacious first- line drug for managing all gram-negative bacteria thus preferred, especially in low-income populations. Approximately 30% of patients treated with GN for more than seven days exhibits signs and symptoms of AKI and 20% to 55 develops AKI. When AKI progresses to chronic kidney disease, dialysis, done three times a week at a cost of Ksh7,000 per session, is inevitable. This cost is unaffordable to many therefore, calls for intervention of a potent, affordable compound with antioxidant activity to reduce the oxidative stress during GN medication. Rosmarinus Officinalis (RO) which is easily available and affordable natural antioxidant can be used to stop oxidation. Minimal research has been done to develop high-quality interventions to prevent the GN effects using RO herbs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of RO on GN- induced acute Kidney injury in male albino rats. The study determined the protective gross morphological and histological effects of RO on gentamicin induced AKI in albino rats, established histo-stereological changes in the kidney after administration of different doses of RO on gentamicin-induced acute kidney injury in albino rats, and assessed changes in the biochemical parameters of the kidney; Serum creatinine and blood urea after administration of GN and different doses of RO in albino rats. A total of 25 albino rats were simple randomly divided into a control of 5 rats and an experimental of 20 rats. The control received a rat diet plus water. The experimental group was further sub-divided into four sub-groups of 5 rats each: Gentamicin GN100mg/kg/bwt/i.p, low dose RO 100mg/kg/bwt+GN 100mg/kg, medium dose RO150mg/kg/bwt +GN100mg/kg, and high dose RO 200mg/kg/bwt + GN100mg/kg groups. One- way ANOVA was used to test the means within control and treatment groups for the histo- stereology, the weight of the rats, biochemical parameters, and gross morphometric data. The findings showed that there was a significant P< 0.0001 reduction in the parameters: mean terminal weights of the rats, weight, volume, thickness, width, length ,and the glomerulus volume of the Gentamicin group compared with the control groups. Further, there was a significant P<0.0001 increase in urea and creatinine levels recorded in the Gentamicin group to signify nephrotoxicity induced in the kidneys. In comparing the gentamicin group and the RO groups, there was no significant difference in the above-mentioned parameters in the gentamicin group, and the low and medium dose RO groups. However, a significant reduction was recorded in the high dose RO and control group. While the glomerulus, proximal, and distal convoluted tubules, and Bowman’s space for the low RO, medium RO, and gentamicin group were shrunken and dilated respectively, those for the high dose RO and the controls were normal and comparable. The Biochemical parameters further revealed that there was no significant difference observed between the high dose RO and the control group. Similar results were also found in the stereological findings where the glomerulus volume of the high dose RO and the controls were comparable unlike for the low and medium doses RO. In conclusion, the high dose RO has a protective effect on gross morphological, histological, stereological, and biomarkers against gentamicin-induced AKI. Therefore, there is need to do further research to ascertain its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics so that it can be used alongside Gentamicin treatment to counteract kidney injuries which has led to chronic kidney disease, ultimately reducing Kidney related mortalities.