Evaluation of the Protective Role of Glycine max Seed Extract (Soybean Oil) in Drug-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Experimental Rats

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the nephroprotective effect of Glycine max seed extract (soybean oil) against gentamicin- and rifampicin-induced nephrotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats and to compare its effects with those of vitamin E, which has well-established antioxidant and nephroprotective effects. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats (body weight 150–210 g) were divided into 10 groups. The first five groups were treated for 14 consecutive days with normal saline (5 ml/kg, by mouth [p.o.]); gentamicin (80 mg/kg intraperitoneally [i.p.]); gentamicin (80 mg/kg, i.p.) + vitamin E (250 mg/kg p.o.); gentamicin (80 mg/kg i.p.) + soybean oil (2.5 ml/kg p.o.); and gentamicin (80 mg/kg, i.p.) + soybean oil (5 ml/kg p.o.), respectively. For the next five groups, the same group allocation was done, but gentamicin was replaced with rifampicin (1 g/kg i.p.). Various biomarkers for nephrotoxicity in serum and urine were evaluated along with histopathological examination of kidneys. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done following Tukey's multiple comparison test; p < .05 was considered significant. Soybean oil in both doses significantly (p < .005) decreased serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, urea, uric acid and urine volume, kidney weight, urinary sodium, urinary potassium, and total protein and significantly (p < .005) increased serum total protein and urine creatinine in gentamicin- and rifampicin-treated animals, exhibiting nephroprotective effects. Soybean oil also showed strong antioxidant effects, causing significant (p < .005) increase in kidney homogenate catalases, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase and significant (p < .005) decrease in lipid peroxidase in gentamicin- and rifampicin-treated animals. Soybean oil demonstrated good nephroprotective activity due to antioxidant effects.

KEYWORDS:

• gentamicin
• nephrotoxicity
• rifampicin
• soybean oil
• vitamin E

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

About the authors

Anand Ramasamy is an Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, GIET School of Pharmacy, Rajahmundry, India.

Nandhakumar Jothivel is a Professor and Head, Department of Pharmacy Practice, The Erode College of Pharmacy and Research Institute, Erode, India.

Saibal Das is a PG Registrar, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.

A. Swapna is a PG Student, Department of Pharmacology, MNR College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, India.

Alice Padmini Albert is a PhD Student, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.

Preeti Barnwal is a SRF, Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi, India.

Dinesh Babu is a PDF, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.