Abstract:
Abstract : Adriamycin (ADR) is an effective anthracyclin antitumor drug, but its clinical use is limited due to renal toxicity. The
leaves of Asparagus falcatus (Family: Liliaceae) have been used in the management of renal diseases since antiquity. In the
present investigation, the aqueous leaf extract of A. falcatus was evaluated for acute nephroprotective activity in ADR induced
nephrotoxic rats. Nephrotoxicity was induced in healthy male Wistar rats by intraperitoneal administration of ADR 20 mg/kg.
The lyophilized powder of the aqueous refluxed (4h) leaf extract of A. falcatus was administered orally at three selected doses;
200, 400 and 600 mg/kg for three consecutive days. Fosinopril sodium (0.09 mg/kg) was used as the standard drug.
Administration of the plant extract and the standard drug was commenced 24 hours after the induction of nephrotoxicity to
rats. The nephroprotective effect was determined by selected biochemical parameters and by the assessment of histopathology
on H and E stained kidney sections. The results were compared to a group of control rats with ADR induced nephrotoxicity. A
group of rats administered with the equivalent volume of normal saline served as the healthy control. Administration of ADR 20
mg/kg produced a significant increase in the concentrations of serum creatinine (61%) and urine protein (73%) followed by a
significant decrease in serum total protein (21%) and albumin (44%) of the plant extract treated animals compared to the
healthy control group (p < 0.05). The aqueous extract of Asparagus falcatus at the three doses; 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg and
the standard drug were found to decrease the elevation of concentrations of serum creatinine (33%, 51%, 54% and 42%) and
urine protein (8%, 63%, 80% and 86%) respectively. The serum concentrations of total protein (12%, 17%, 29% and 12%) and
albumin (3%, 17%, 17% and 16%) were significantly increased compared to the nephrotoxic control group respectively.
Assessment of histopathology on H and E stained kidney sections demonstrated that ADR induced renal injury, as evidenced by
loss of brush border, cytoplasmic vacuolization, pyknosis in renal tubular epithelial cells, haemorrhages, glomerular congestion
and presence of hyaline casts. Treatment with the plant extract and the standard drug resulted in attenuation of the
morphological destruction in rats. The results of the present study revealed that the aqueous leaf extract of A. falcatus
possesses significant nephroprotective activity against adriamycin induced acute nephrotoxicity. The improved kidney
functions were supported with the results of selected biochemical parameters and histological changes observed on H and E
stained sections of the kidney tissues in Wistar rats.