Nephroprotective Potential of Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob. on Methotrexate-Induced Kidney Damage and Oxidative Stress

Methotrexate despite its beneficial anti-cancer and immunosuppressant effects has continued to receive limitation in usage due to its organ toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the nephroprotective effect of aqueous leaf extract of Chromolaena odorata on Methotrexate-induced injury and damage on kidney in rat.

The study consisted of four groups of rats: Control, Chromolaena odorata extract, Methotrexate, and Methotrexate+Chromolaena odorata extract groups. Chromolaena odorata extract was given orally (200 mg/kg) for 10 days, and Methotrexate at a single dose (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally on day 9 of the experiment. Blood and kidney were collected on day 11 to measure biochemical, hematological and oxidative stress parameters as well as histopathological analysis.

Methotrexate administration when compared to control and extract, treated rats decreased antioxidant agents, including catalase (CAT) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) while it increased the Malondialdehyde level in the kidney tissues. Methotrexate also increased Urea and Creatinine in the blood samples. The result also showed that Methotrexate administration produced a significant decrease in Hemoglobin (HB), White Blood Cell (WBC), Hematocrit (HCT), Red Blood Cell (RBC), Platelets (PLTS), Lymphocyte, Basophil, and Monocyte when compared to control and all extract administered rats. The result of histopathological analysis of the kidney revealed that Methotrexate administration caused necrosis of renal tubules, renal congestion, renal tubule epithelium swelling, interstitial hemorrhage, glomerular atrophy, as well as dilatation. Chromolaena odorata extract administration significantly alleviated kidney function, improved antioxidant parameters, decreased levels of oxidative stress agents, restored the hematological parameters towards normalcy as well as resulted in noticeable improvement and attenuation toward normalcy in the kidney structure, and thus, remarkably preventing Methotrexate-induced tissue injury and damage.

The observed data showed that Chromolaena odorata had a protective effect against Methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity by maintaining the activity of the antioxidant defense system, which can be attributed to its bioactive constituents.