Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal (Apr 2018)
AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF PUNICA GRANATUM ON STEROID INDUCED PROXIMAL AND DISTAL TUBULAR DILATATION IN MICE KIDNEY
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effects of anabolic androgenic steroid on histomorphology of the proximal and distal renal tubules in mice kidney and amelioration of these effects with Punica granatum (Pomegranate). Study Design: It was laboratory based randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Anatomy Department, Army Medical College Rawalpindi, in collaboration with National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, from Apr to May 2015. Material and Method: Forty healthy male and female BALB/c mice weighing 25-30gms were equally divided into four groups. Group A served as a control group and groups B, C and D served as experimental groups. Mice in these three experimental groups were injected Nandrolone decanoate (ND) at the dose of 1 mg/100 gm body weight, as single intramuscular injection in the hind limb once a week for 8 weeks. Mice in experimental group C was also given pomegranate juice (PJ) at the dose of 3ml/kg body weight by oral gavage tube for 8 weeks daily and mice in experimental group D was given pomegranate peel extract (PPE) at the dose of 200mg/kg body weight by oral gavage tube for 8 weeks daily. The results of experimental groups B, C and D were compared with control group A and with each other. Results: In experimental group B, proximal and distal tubular and luminal diameters were significantly increased when compared with control group A, and these parameters were improved statistically when compared with pomegranate juice and pomegranate peel extract administered experimental groups C and D, respectively. Conclusion: Punica granatum in both forms, as Pomegranate juice and Pomegranate peel extract, has nearly equal ameliorative effects on steroid induced renal tubular damage. Keywords: Anabolic androgenic steroid, Pomegranate juice, Pomegranate peel extract, Renal tubules