The Effect of Treatment with Frankincense on Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats

Abstract

Drug-induced nephrotoxicity is a common cause of acute kidney injury and gentamicin is categorized under one of these nephrotoxic drugs. Using medicinal plants that can ameliorate or delay the deterioration in kidney functions is needed due to their low cost and fewer side effects.Thirty-Five healthy adult male albino rats were divided into five equal groups: (-) control group in which normal rats were fed on a basal diet as a group (1), (+) controlnephrotoxicity rats in which rats were injected with gentamicin and fed on a basal diet as a group (2), groups (3,4, and 5) nephrotoxicity rats were fed on a basal diet containing 2.5, 5, and 10% frankincense (Boswellia sacra) powder, respectively, for 28 days. Kidney and liver functions, minerals levels, antioxidant status, lipids profile, glucose levels, and histopathological changes were investigated. Results showed a significant increase in body weight and a significant decrease in serum level of urea, creatinine, uric acid, phosphorous, potassium, lipids, glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and albumin, and total protein in groups treated with different levels of frankincense (P ≤0.05). Moreover, there was a significant increase in levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Catalase (CAT) as well as a significant decrease in levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a biomarker of lipid peroxidation (P ≤0.05). Concerning kidney histology, no histopathological alterations were seen in the kidneys of rats treated with 10 % frankincense powder. Study results demonstrated that administration of frankincense for 28 days could ameliorate kidney damage resulting from gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.