The effect of L–carnitine on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and associated anaemia in adult male albino rats

Meky, Nefissa Hussein; Heibashy, Mohamed Islam; Mahmoud, Ola Mahmoud; Youssef, Heba Abo Baker

doi:10.21608/jsrs.2015.24885

The effect of L–carnitine on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and associated anaemia in adult male albino rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University.

² Biological Applications Department Nuclear Research Centre, Atomic Energy Authority

³ Departments of Hematology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt

⁴ Zoology Department, Women’s College, Ain Shams University.

10.21608/jsrs.2015.24885

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-carnitineon gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and anaemia in adult male albino rats. A control group (saline, group I, n = 21) was compared with rats administrated 80 mg/kg gentamicin, once daily for 10 days (groups II, n = 49). After 10 days 7 rats from each group were sacrificed for investigation. The remaining of normal control rats was served as normal control group (Group 1) (14 rats), while 42 nephrotoxic rats subdivide in to: Subgroup 2 (control 2): Nephrotoxic rats (14 rats). Subgroup 3: Nephrotoxic rats were injected intraperitoneal with L-carnitine (300 mg/kg/day) for 15 and 30 days (14 rats). Subgroup 4: Nephrotoxic rats were injected intraperitoneal with L-carnitine (600 mg/kg/day) for 15and30 days (14 rats). At the end of each experiment period, 7 rats from each groups were sacrificed. The effect of L-carnitine (group III and IV) was compared. The activities of biochemical parameters [urea, creatinine, β₂-microglobulin, potassium (K), total oxidant status (TOS)] and [iron (Fe), total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and ferritin] increased in nephrotoxic rats, while total protein, sodium (Na) and total antioxidant status (TAS) decreased and in haematological parameters osmotic fragility increased but haemoglobin and red blood cells (RBCs) decreased in nephrotoxic rats. Administration of L-carnitine improved alterations of biochemical and haematological parameters. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that treatment with L-carnitine attenuated the biochemical and haematological alterations induced by gentamicin and identifies new areas of research for development of better therapeutic agents for kidney and better dose.

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