Protective effect of ethanol extract of neem leaves on cisplatin-induced kidney damage in wistar rats

Terkula Kpela¹*, Theresa B. Ekanem² and Amaber O. Akpantah²

¹Department of Anatomy, Benue State University College of Health Sciences, Makurdi, Nigeria.

²Department of Anatomy, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: dookpelu@yahoo.com; Tel: +234 806 783 8483

Accepted 27 July, 2012

Abstract

The protective effect of neem leaf extract on cisplatin-induced kidney damage in wistar rats was investigated. Twenty rats weighing 180-200g were divided into four treatment groups, each containing five animals. Group I served as control. Group II received a single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin (10 mg/kg) on day one. Group III received oral administration of neem leaf extract at a dose of 500 mg/kg/day for 14 days followed by intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Group IV received a single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin at a dose of 10 mg/kg on day one followed by oral doses of neem leaf extract (500 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. All animals were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia two days after the last treatment day of the experiment. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis of serum electrolytes, urea and creatinine. The kidneys were removed and processed through paraffin sections for hematoxylin and eosin as well as deoxyribonucleic acid staining. Results showed that cisplatin-induced apoptosis, necrosis, and raised serum electrolytes, urea and creatinine levels were normalized by pretreatment with neem leaf extract. We conclude, therefore, that neem leaf extract can attenuate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in wistar rats.

Keywords: Nephrotoxicity, cisplatin, neem leaf extract, wistar rat.