Renoprotective Effect of Plantago major Against Proteinuria and Apoptosis Induced by Adriamycin in Rat.

OBJECTIVE: Adriamycin (ADR) is an important anti-cancer drug which can cause renal toxicity. Given the known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Plantago major (P. major), the aim of this study was to determine the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of P. major on ADR- induced nephropathy in rats. METHODS: Fifty male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 5 groups including: control, ADR (5 mg/kg), ADR + P. major (600 and 1200 mg/kg) and P. major (1200 mg/kg). The animals were treated with P. major extract for 5 consecutive weeks and ADR was intravenously injected on the 7th day of the study. Urine and serum samples were collected on days 0, 14, 21, 28, and 35 for the measurement of serum cholesterol and albumin levels and urine protein excretion rate. At the end of the study, the left kidneys were removed for apoptosis assessment. RESULTS: Administration of ADR significantly decreased serum albumin level and increased serum cholesterol and urine protein excretion rate as well as, apoptotic cell numbers compared to the control group (P < 0.001) while had no effect on glomerular filtration rate (P > 0.05). Treatment with P. major, in both 600 and 1200 mg/kg doses, increased serum albumin level and decreased serum cholesterol concentration, urine protein excretion rate and as well as the number of apoptotic cell compared to the ADR group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the P. major extract effectively protects against ADR- induced nephropathy by reducing kidney apoptosis and improving renal functioning in rats.

Protection Against Doxorubicin-induced Nephropathy by Plantago major in Rat.

INTRODUCTION: Nephropathy is an important side effect of doxorubicin. The aim of the current study was to investigate the protective effect of Plantago major extract against doxorubicin-induced functional and histological damage in rat's kidney. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty Albino rats were randomly divided into 6 groups. Doxorubicin, 5 mg/kg, was injected intravenously on the 7th day of the study. Animals were treated with dexamethasone, 0.9 mg/kg, vitamin E, 100 mg/kg, and P major extract, 600 mg/kg and 1200 mg/kg, for 7 days before and 4 weeks after doxorubicin administration. Glomerular filtration rate, urea clearance, and urine glucose concentration were determined on the 1st day and 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after doxorubicin injection. Histological changes were also examined and the end of the study. RESULTS: Doxorubicin caused significant decreases in glomerular filtration rate and urea clearance and significant glycosuria and kidney damage. Urea clearance in the rats treated with P major showed no significant change between different days of the experiment. Administration of dexamethasone, vitamin E, and low- and high-dose P major significantly improved the glycosuria and kidney tissue damage. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that hydroalcoholic extract of P major protected renal tissue against doxorubicin-induced nephropathy. The protective effects of P major on renal lesions associated with doxorubicin may be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.