Assessment of Nephroprotective Properties of Vitex Agnus castus Extract in Cisplatin-Treated Wistar Rats: A Pilot Study

Cisplatin (CP) is used to treat various solid tumors but is associated with nephrotoxicity, which varies with dose and duration. Vitex Agnus castus (VAC) berries, known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, may alleviate CP-induced renal toxicity. To investigate the gender-specific responses to cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and evaluate VAC extract's nephroprotective effects. Four-month-old Wistar rats (n=36) (24 male, 12 female) were used. In phase 1, gender-based differences in CP-induced nephrotoxicity were assessed. The gender group with higher nephrotoxicity was selected for phase 2 to evaluate VAC's nephroprotective properties. Animals were randomly grouped as Normal Control (6 males & 6 females), CP Control (6 males & 6 females) received CP (7 mg/kg bw) injection, VAC Control (received 165 mg/kg bw VAC for 7 days daily), and CP+VAC (CP injection followed by VAC orally for 7 days). CP-treated male rats showed significantly higher plasma creatinine, urea, and BUN levels (p<0.05) than controls, while female rats showed slight increases. Male rats were chosen for phase 2, where VAC treatment post-CP injection lowered the kidney function parameters, though not significantly compared to CP controls. Histopathology revealed severe tubular damage and dilation in CP-treated kidneys compared to controls. Cisplatin (7 mg/kg bw) causes acute kidney injury, with male rats showing more nephrotoxicity. VAC extract reduced biochemical markers of nephrotoxicity but did not reverse CP-induced damage, suggesting potential mitigation of some CP-induced renal toxicity.