Effect of pomegranate seed oil against gentamicin - induced nephrotoxicity in rat

Gentamicin, an important aminoglycoside, is used to treat many types of bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative organisms. It is a nephrotoxic antibiotic, which causes acute tubular necrosis, and its toxicity remains a major problem in clinical use. This study investigates the effect of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in adult male rats. Animals were randomly divided into four groups. Group one was treated with saline (1 ml/kg, i.p.), group 2 received gentamicin 80 mg/kg/day for 6 days and groups 3 and 4 received PSO 0.32 and 0.64 mg/kg/day i.p. respectively, 1 h before gentamicin. Serum urea, creatinine levels, urinary glucose and protein concentrations were evaluated as the markers of acute renal failure. Renal antioxidant indicators such as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS), and total thiol contents, were also determined. A significant elevation of serum creatinine and urea levels as well as urine glucose and protein concentrations were observed in gentamicin treated group. Gentamicin also caused a significant decrease in total thiol content and a significant increase in TBARS levels in kidney homogenate samples. PSO pretreatment resulted in a significant and dose-dependent decrease in serum creatinine and urea levels as well as urine glucose and protein concentrations when compared with gentamicin treated alone. PSO also significantly reversed the gentamicin-induced depletion in total thiol content and elevation in TBARS in kidney homogenate samples. The results of the present study indicate that PSO clearly attenuated gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity, but elucidation of the mechanism(s) of this protection needs more investigation.