Evaluation of nephroprotective effects of persea americana on cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity in albino wistar rats

Various human cancers such as bladder, lung, testicular and ovarian cancers are treated with an effective chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin. Though it is an effective drug to treat cancer, its extensive use has lead to drug resistance. The major side effect of cisplatin is renal damage. Persea americana has been used in the Indian system of medicine to treat various diseases. This study aims to investigate the nephroprotective activity of hydroalchoholic extract of P. americana (HEPA) leaves on cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity in albino wistarrats. All rats except control group received a single intraperitoneal dose of 7.5 mg/kg bodyweight cisplatin on the 5th day. Group III and Group IV were administered with HEPA (250 mg/kg body weight and 1000 mg/kg body weight) orally, for 4 days before they received cisplatin. Control group comprised of rats that were administered with normal saline (i.p) only. The intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin increased kidney weight, serum cystatin-c, and serum creatinine, at the same time, decreased body weight, urinary volume, urine creatinine, creatinine clearance, and renal antioxidant activity, all of which were significant. Histopathological reports showed marked congestion of glomerulus and degenerative changes in the proximal convoluted tubules. Treatment with HEPA showed a significant decrease in serum cystatin-c (p<0.001), serum creatinine (p<0.001), urinary volume (p<0.005), kidney weight and increase in renal tissue antioxidant activity (p<0.001) along with regeneration of proximal tubular cell architecture. These results suggest that HEPA possess nephroprotective activity against cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity.