The Nephroprotective Effects of Pioglitazone and Glibenclamide Against Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats: A Comparative Study

The aim of the current study is to comparatively examine the nephroprotective effects of pioglitazone and glibenclamide in a rat model subjected to gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity. Six groups of rats were given either normal saline, or gentamicin, or pioglitazone, or gentamicin plus pioglitazone, or glibenclamide, or gentamicin plus glibenclamide for 11 days. The group administered gentamicin plus glibenclamide had a significant elevation of antioxidant enzyme activity and a significant reduction in lipid peroxidation when compared with the group treated just with gentamicin. The gentamicin plus glibenclamide group also showed mild necrosis according to histopathology when compared with the gentamicin-alone group. In contrast, the gentamicin plus pioglitazone group had a significant reduction in antioxidant enzyme activity and a significant elevation in lipid peroxidation levels when compared with the gentamicin-alone group. Our study showed that only glibenclamide but not pioglitazone has protective effects against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.