Effect of caraway essential oils on the level of oxidative stress factors in heart and kidney tissues of septic rats

Sepsis is a systemic response to severe infections leading to organ failure and death. Recently the role of herbal drugs in the management of the inflammatory response has come under increased scrutiny. Caraway is a well known traditional herbal plant believed to contain active components with pharmacological properties such as antioxidative effects. In this study attempts were made to assess the protective role of caraway essential oils on parameters related to oxidative stress in heart and kidney of rats with sepsis induced by experimental cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method. The rats were divided into five groups i.e: controls or Sham-operated (SOP); CLP group; intervention group of CLP + essential caraway oils, 50&100 mg/kg injected intra peritoneally (IP); and CLP + Indomethacin group 10 mg/kg, (IP), chosen as positive control. Twenty-four hours after CLP, the rats were sacrificed and the heart and kidney tissues and plasma were removed. The tissues and plasma were tested for parameters related to oxidative stress i.e. lipid peroxidation (LP), glutathione (GSH) and also the plasma tissue injury indexes (urea, creatinine and CK-MB). It was found that kidney tissue was partially injured after sepsis induction as evidenced by increased level of LP and high levels of urea/creatinine. Treatment of rats with caraway oils and also indomethacin modulated these parameters showing a diminished response to CLP. These results implied that caraway oils have a protective role in preventing partial kidney damage induced by sepsis.