Comparative Morpho-Physiological Assessment of Acetaminophen-Intoxicated Kidneys of Rats Pre-Treated with Ethanolic Extracts of Cuscuta Australis

Abstract

Acetaminophen (APAP) overuse during fever and pain management is a well recognized threat to kidney architecture and function. Cuscutaaustralis extract pretreatments may be helpful against this deleterious effect. This study investigates the comparative morpho-physiological assessment of the kidneys of acetaminophen-intoxicated rats pre-treated with ethanolicextracts of Cuscutaaustralis. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into six groups: Group I servedas the control and received distilled water. Group II was orally intoxicated with 835mg/kg body wt. of acetaminophen on day 8. Groups III and IV were orally administered the seed of C. australis extract in doses of 125mg/kg and 250mg/kg respectively for 7 days and then intoxicated as in Group II on the 8th day. Groups V and VI received C. australis stem treatment of similar doses and duration as in seed counterpart and then intoxicated as in Group II on the 8th day. Kidney sections and blood samples were taken for histopathological and biochemical evaluations respectively. Group II rats showed severe distorted renal architecture, decreased proximal and distal tubular diameters and significantly elevated blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. The seed and stem of Cuscutaaustralisextracts markedly improved the renal histoarchitecture and the injury markers in a dose-dependentmanner with higher efficacy shown by the stem treated Groups V and VI. This data suggest that ethanol extraction of Cuscutaaustralisstem appear to protect the kidney structure and function from acetaminophenintoxication better than the seed counterpart.