Abstract

Background: Kidney forms the main controlling organ in sustaining homeostasis and, thus, is vulnerable to toxicity by xenobiotics. Aims and
Objective: To evaluate the possible protective effects of the citrus flavonoid, hesperidin (HES), against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
Materials and Methods: Rats received a single intraperitoneal dose of DEN (200 mg/kg body weight). Two-weeks after DEN administration, rats received 0.5 g/L phenobarbital in drinking water for 12 weeks. HES (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight) were orally administered from the first day of experiment. Result: DEN administration induced nephrotoxicity evidenced or DEN-induced nephrotoxicity was evidenced by the histological alterations andsignificant increasein serum creatinine (Po 0.001), urea (Po 0.01), and uric acid (Po 0.001) levels. DEN-intoxicated rats exhibited a significant (Po 0.001) increase in renal lipid peroxidation levels and reduced glutathione content and activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione-S- transferase. Concomitant supplementation with all the doses of HES markedly prevented DEN-induced biochemical and histopathological alterations.Conclusion: The studyfindings provide evidence that HES could protect against DEN-induced renal injury through abolishment of inflammation and oxidative stress and potentiation of the antioxidant defense system.