Luteolin ameliorates colistin-induced nephrotoxicity in the rat models

Abstract

Introduction and aim: To study the protective, preventive effect of luteolin from colistin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Material and method: Four different treatment options were tested on rats: colistin, luteolin, and a combination of colistin and luteolin, intraperitoneally as two doses a day, for seven days. Another group of rats were used as the control and treated with sterile saline. Serum creatinine levels were measured before and after treatment. Histological changes and colistin-induced apoptosis (Insitu BrdU-red DNA Fragmentation Assay Kit) of the renal tissues were examined after the scarification procedure.

Results: In the Colistin Group, post-treatment creatinine levels were statistically higher than the pretreatment levels (p = .001). In the remaining groups, no significant changes were observed. Cells that undergo apoptosis were counted and it was shown that all groups except the colistin-treated group had a similar number of apoptotic cells, whereas the colistin-treated group had statistically higher number of apoptotic cells compared to other groups (p = .0001). Renal histological damage was also measured and the score of the colistin treated group was higher as compared to other groups.

Conclusion: The results obtained from this study demonstrated us that luteolin was capable of preventing colistin-induced nephrotoxicity and that this effect was significant at histopathological level.

Keywords:

• Flavonoid
• colistin
• nephrotoxicity

Acknowledgements

This study was carried out after a permit was obtained from Bagcılar Training and Research Hospital, Local Ethical Board of Animal Testing and following the guide (NIH Publication No. 85-23, revised 1996) related to the care and use of experimental animals. Colistimethate sodium was provided from Koçak Farma Pharmaceutical Company free of charge.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.