RENAL FUNCTION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN DOXORUBICIN-TREATED WISTAR RATS: IMPLICATIONS FOR NEPHROTOXICITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v22i1.1889Keywords:
Doxorubicin, Histopathology, NephrotoxicityAbstract
Background: Doxorubicin is the most potent broad-spectrum anthracycline antibiotic. Despite having increased anti-tumour activity, it has been reported toxic to different organs including kidneys. This study was conducted to investigate nephrotoxic effects of Doxorubicin by assessing the renal functions parameters and oxidative stress in adult male Wistar rats. Methods: From September 2023 to February 2024, this quasi-experimental study was carried out in Department of Pharmacology, Isra University, Hyderabad. Twenty healthy male rats, weighing 180–220 grams, were divided into Group I (control) which received 10 mL distilled water I.P., and Group II (experimental) which received injections of doxorubicin (1.2 mg/Kg body weight) I.P. twice a week for 21 days. The animals were slaughtered; blood samples were taken for renal function tests, and oxidative stress markers. Histological analyses were carried out for nephrotoxicity. Results: Group II rats showed a significant decline in absolute kidney weight (p<0.05) accompanied by a significant decrease in animal weight. These rats also exhibited significantly higher (p<0.05) serum levels of renal and inflammatory indicators. Serum levels of superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and catalase in renal tissues were statistically substantially lower (p<0.05) in Group II, but malondialdehyde and Nitric oxide levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the same group. Histopathological analysis revealed renal tubule dilation and reduced number of renal corpuscles in Group II rats. Conclusion: Doxorubicin poses a significant damage to the renal tissues by imbalance between antioxidant and free oxygen radicals, which causes protein oxidation resulting in tissue damage.
Pak J Physiol 2026;22(1):58–61, DOI: https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v22i1.1889
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Copyright (c) 2026 Fazeela Rizwan, Shahnaz Bano Memon, Sehar Khowaja, Asiya Kazi, Ahsan Aslam, Rida Qureshi
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