Protective Effect of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. Seeds Extract and Silymarin Against Cisplatin-Induced Acute Nephrotoxicity in Rats

Abstract

Background: Cisplatin is an important anticancer drug, can be used in the treatment of several kinds of tumor. But its sever advese effect i.e. kidney toxicity limited its uses. Objective: the present study undertaken to find out the protective effect of methanolic extract of Silybum marianum seeds (MES) and standard silymarin against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity. Materials and Methods: 48 male 10-8 week old wistar rats randomly divided in to 6 group. They caged in same environmental condition. First group kept as control received salin, and second group received cisplantin (3 mg/kg) by single intraperitoneal injection. 3rd and 4th groups received silymarin and MES 2 hour before cicplatin adminstration. 5th and 6th group received silymarin and MES 2 hour after cisplatin administration. Results: Over five days, cisplatin treated rats showed kidney tubular necrosis and elevation in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr). Pretreatment of animals with silymarin (50 mg/kg) and MES (600 mg/kg) 2h before cisplatin administration reduced BUN and Scr as well as prevent the kidney tubular damage significantly. Rats treated with silymarin and MES 2h after cisplatin administration had BUN lower but mild to moderate kidney tubular necrosis was observed. Conclusion: These results suggested that silymarin as wellas MES may protect kidney against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity and might serve as a novel combination agent with cisplatin to limit renal injury if clinical study proved its efficacy.

Keywords

• cisplatin
• renal toxicity
• silymarin
• silybum marianum