Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide in combat with gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Gentamicin sulphate (GS) induces nephrotoxicity by increasing of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

The aim of this research was to assess the renoprotective effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as an antioxidant agent against GS-induced nephrotoxicity.

Forty male rats (Sprague-Dawley) were divided equally in to five groups and were treated as follows; group 1; received normal saline and served as normal controls, group 2; received GS (100 mg/kg/d), groups 3; received GS and DMSO (0.5 mL/kg/d), groups 4; received GS and DMSO (1 mL/kg/d), groups 5; received GS and DMSO (2 mL/kg/d). After eight days of treatment, serum was prepared. Paraffin sections (3 µ thickness) were prepared from the left kidneys and stained through periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) method. Serum creatinine and urea were assessed by the kits and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) was assessed by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test. Volume density of proximal tubules, tubular necrosis, tubular cast and lymphocyte infiltration were evaluated histopathologically. The data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test at P< 0.05 by SPSS 12 software.

Serum MDA, creatinine, urea, tubular volume density, tubular necrosis, tubular cast and lymphocyte infiltration were ameliorated significantly in groups four and five compared with group two (P<0.05).

DMSO improved GS-induced renal toxicity significantly through prevention of lipid peroxidation and inflammation, but could not save kidney functional tests and histological changes at the same level as that of the normal group.