African Journal of
Pharmacy and Pharmacology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Pharm. Pharmacol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0816
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJPP
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 2298

Full Length Research Paper

Renoprotective effect of silymarin on gentamicin-induced nephropathy

Mohammad Mashayekhi
Department of Clinical Science, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 13 July 2012
  •  Published: 08 August 2012

Abstract

Gentamicin (GM) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic which is used in clinical practice to treat severe gram-negative infections. Silybum marianum, also known as milk thistle, is a member of Asteraceae family and is well recognized as a hepatoprotective herbal medicine. The main objective of this present study was to evaluate the renoprotective effect of silymarin on GM-induced nephropathy. Eighteen healthy Ghezel sheep were randomly divided into three groups of control and treatments. All sheep of two groups received 20 mg/kg/body weight of GM every 8 h by intramuscular injection for 10 days. Treatment group also receive silymarin at the dose of 80 mg/case three-times a day for 20 days intramuscular injection for 14 days. This study showed that the GM-induced renal toxicity, as measured by multiple functional, structural and enzymatic factors is significantly reduced by co-supplementation of silymarin. The results of this study suggest the potential of silymarin to protect against GM-induced nephrotoxicity.

 

Key words: Renoprotection, silymarin, gentamicin, nephropathy.