The therapeutic role of eugenol loaded chitosan nanoparticles on gentamicin-induced hepatorenal injury in male rats.

BACKGROUND

The liver and kidney are highly susceptible to drug toxicities due to its contribution in metabolic pathways, detoxification, and excretion of drugs and their metabolites. Among the antibiotics, gentamicin (GM) is a commonly prescribed antimicrobial drug used for treatment of infections but associated hepatic and renal complications restrict its efficacy. The current study aims to assess the protective effects of eugenol loaded chitosan nanoparticles (EC NPs) against gentamicin-induced hepatorenal toxicity in rats.

METHODS

Thirty rats were divided into five groups of six rats each. All groups, except for the control group, were administered GM (80 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally, for 7 days). Following the GM injection phase, rats were given distilled water (control and GM groups), eugenol alone (10 mg/kg, orally), chitosan polymer alone (60 mg/kg, orally), and EC NPs (60 mg/kg, orally) for a duration of 3 weeks.

RESULTS

Treatment with EC NPs caused a significant decrease in serum aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine, uric acid, and malondialdehyde levels, along with a significant increase in albumin, total protein, glutathione reduced, nitric oxide, and catalase. EC NPs group showed normal hepatic and renal histological architecture, downregulated caspase-3 and upregulated PCNA expression.

CONCLUSION

The current investigation showed that EC NPs protected the liver and kidney from GM-induced hepatorenal damage in rats through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, proliferative and anti-apoptotic properties.