Pomegranate Extract Attenuates Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats by Reducing Oxidative Stress

Figures & data

Table 1.  Effects of GEN alone and its combination with PE on plasma urea, creatinine, Na⁺, K⁺, and 24-h urine volume levels in rats.

Parameters	Control	GEN	GEN + vehicle	GEN + PE
Urea (mg/dL)	34 ± 8.1	109 ± 14.9^a	105 ± 14.4	45 ± 10.8^b
Creatinine (mg/dL)	0.44 ± 0.1	2.1 ± 0.5^a	1.99 ± 0.5	0.8 ± 0.3^b
Na^+ (mmol/L)	138.5 ± 1.4	140.3 ± 2.7	139.1 ± 2.4	138.8 ± 1.6
K^+ (mmol/L)	3.9 ± 0.2	4.2 ± 0.5	4.1 ± 0.4	4.1 ± 0.3
24-h Urine volume (mL)	8.8 ± 1.1	21.8 ± 4.5^a	20.3 ± 3.4	9.6 ± 1.7^b

Notes: Values are expressed as mean ± SD for eight rats in each group.

Groups: control, GEN-treated, GEN + vehicle-treated, and GEN + PE-treated.

^aSignificantly different from the control group.

^bSignificantly different from the GEN-treated group (p < 0.001).

Abbreviations: NO, nitric oxide; MDA, malondialdehyde; GSH, reduced glutathione; GEN, gentamicin.

Table 2.  Effects of PE on NO, MDA, and GSH levels of rat kidney.

Parameters	Control	GEN	GEN + vehicle	GEN + PE
NO (nmol/g wet tissue)	30.3 ± 9.3	47.2 ± 7.3^a	44.5 ± 5.8	43.7 ± 11.9
MDA (nmol/g wet tissue)	2.6 ± 0.7	4.1 ± 1.1^a	3.9 ± 1.1	2.2 ± 0.9^b
GSH (umol/g wet tissue)	2.3 ± 0.8	1.4 ± 0.7^a	1.3 ± 0.6	2.4 ± 0.4^b

Notes: Values are expressed as mean ± SD for eight rats in each group.

^aSignificantly different from the control group.

^bSignificantly different from the GEN-treated group (p < 0.05).

Abbreviations: NO, nitric oxide; MDA, malondialdehyde; GSH, reduced glutathione; GEN, gentamicin.

Figure 1.  (A) Normal tubules and glomeruli in kidney cortex, staining with H&E ×100 (control group). (B) Severe tubular necrosis, tubular degeneration, and epithelial vacuolization in the proximal tubules, staining with H&E ×100 (GEN-treated group). (C) Moderate tubular necrosis, tubular degeneration, and epithelial vacuolization in the proximal tubules, staining with H&E ×100 (GEN + vehicle-treated group). (D) Mild epithelial vacuolization in the proximal tubules and normal glomeruli, staining with H&E ×100 (GEN + PE-treated group).

Figure 2.  (A) No fibrosis in the control group, staining with Masson’s trichrome ×100. (B) Mild fibrosis in interstitium, staining with Masson’s trichrome ×400 (GEN-treated group). (C) Mild fibrosis in interstitium, staining with Masson’s trichrome ×200 (GEN + vehicle-treated group). (D) No fibrosis in GEN + PE-treated group, staining with Masson’s trichrome ×100.

Table 3.  Semiquantitative analysis of tubular necrosis, tubular vacuolization, parietal cell hyperplasia in the control, GEN-, GEN + vehicle-, and GEN + PE-treated rats.

	Tubular necrosis				Tubular vacuolization				Parietal cell
Hyperplasia	n	0	1	2	3	0	1	2	3	0	1	2	3
Control	8	8	0	0	0	7	1	0	0	8	0	0	0
GEN^a	8	0	2	5	1	0	2	4	2	0	2	5	1
GEN + vehicle	8	1	2	4	1	1	2	3	2	0	3	4	1
GEN + PE^b	8	4	3	1	0	1	6	1	0	3	4	1	0

Notes: Score 0, no degeneration; 1, mild degeneration; 2, moderate degeneration; 3, severe degeneration.

^aStatistical significant difference from the control group.

^bStatistical significant difference from the GEN-treated group (p < 0.05).

Table 4.  Analysis of kidney fibrosis in the control, GEN-, GEN + vehicle-, and GEN + PE-treated rats.

	n	(−)	(+)	(++)	(+++)
Control	8	0	0	0	0
GEN	8	3	4	1	0
GEN + vehicle	8	4	4	0	0
GEN + PE	8	6	2	0	0

Notes: Score (−), no fibrosis; (+), mild fibrosis; (++), moderate fibrosis; (+++), serious fibrosis.

No statistical difference between the groups (p > 0.05).