EJMS

Abstract

Introduction: Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of many types of cancers. However, its clinical use was associated with nephrotoxicity in the form of renal tubular damage. The mechanism of Cisplatin degeneration was proved to be due to the production of excess free radicals and oxidative stress. Folic acid has an antioxidant effect against the free radicals released during the oxidation process. Aim of work: to investigate the possible protective role of folic acid on renal toxicity induced experimentally in rats with Cisplatin treatment. Material & Methods: the present study was carried out on fifty six adult male Albino rats divided into 4 equal groups: group I (control group), group II (Folic acid treated group) received folic acid at a dose 250 µg/kg body weight given orally by gavage daily for nine days, group IIІ (Cisplatin treated group) received 10 mg/kg body weight Cisplatin administered intraperitoneally in a single dose on the 5th day and group VI (Folic acid and Cisplatin treated group) pretreated with oral dose of folic acid 250 µg/kg body weight daily for nine days and were given a single dose 10 mg/kg body weight Cisplatin intraperitoneally on the 5th day. The animals were sacrificed at the end of the experiment blood samples were collected for biochemical investigations and the kidneys were excised and prepared for histological and ultrastructural study. Results: Histological examination displayed severe degenerative changes in the kidney tissue after Cisplatin administration. Necrosis of the glomeruli in the form of shrinkage, thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and fusion of the secondary foot processes of the podocytes. Proximal and distal convoluted tubules were also affected including dilatation, degeneration, loss of brush border, thickening of the tubular basement membrane, irregular nuclei and reduced number of mitochondria. Concomitant adminstration of Folic acid with Cisplatin revealed an observable protection against such pathological changes. Conclusion: Folic acid protects the kidney against the nephrotoxic effect of Cisplatin in adult male Albino rats.