Effect of vitamin E and carvedilol in ameliorating gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rabbit

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Background: Gentamicin is an antibiotic effective against gram negative infections, whose clinical use is limited by its nephrotoxicity. In fact, the incidence of renal dysfunction during the course of clinical treatment with gentamicin antibiotics is approximately 10%. Direct proximal tubular necrosis and oxidative stress were the main pathogenic factors.Aim: to investigate the effect of vitamin E and carvedilol pretreatment in ameliorating gentamicin- induced nephrotoxicity in rabbit.Materials and methods: eighteen local domestic male rabbits were used; they were separated to three groups, one of them served as a control group. All animals were injected with gentamicin 80 mg/Kg intramuscularly two hours after administration of the tested agent which was distilled water in the control group, vitamin E 200mg/Kg in the second group and carvedilol 3 mg/Kg in the third one for 6 successive days. Renal function was assessed at day 7 by estimating blood urea nitrogen(BUN), serum creatinin, serum potassium and sodium. Results: treatment with vitamin E and carvedilol prior to nephrotoxic dose of gentamicin results in significant reduction in the levels of BUN, serum creatinin and serum potassium with significant elevation in serum sodium level when compared with the control group.Conclusion: vitamin E, and carvedilol at the tested doses, have significant nephroprotective effect against gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity in rabbit with possible role in preventing such type of renal insult.