Comparative study of the protective effects of ethanol extract of neem leaves and vitamin E on cisplatin-induced kidney damage in wistar rats

Terkula Kpela¹*, Elizabeth B. Umoren² and Abue D. Andrew³

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

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

³Department of Anatomical Science, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.

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

Accepted 08 May, 2013

Abstract

The protective effects of neem leaf extract and vitamin E on Cisplatin-induced kidney damage in wistar rats were compared. Twenty rats weighing 180-200g were divided into four groups, each containing five animals. Group I served as control. Group II received a single intraperitoneal dose of Cisplatin (10 mg/kg) on day one. Group III received a single intraperitoneal dose of cisplatin (10 mg/kg), followed by oral administration of neem leaf extract at a dose of 500 mg/kg/day for 14 days. Group IV received a single intraperitoneal dose of cisplatin (10 mg/kg), followed by daily oral dose of vitamin E (6 mg/kg) for 14 days. A day after drug and extract administration, the animals were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia and 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 (H and E) as well as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) staining. Results showed that cisplatin-induced necrosis of tubule cells and raised serum electrolytes, urea and creatinine levels were partially normalized by treatment with neem leaf extract but relatively unaffected by treatment with vitamin E. We conclude, therefore, that neem leaf extract, unlike vitamin E, can attenuate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in wistar rats.

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