Carrot (Daucus carota L.): Nephroprotective against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Objectives: Daucus carota L.(DC) commonly known as carrot, folkorically used as ethnomedicine to treat nephrosis and other urinary disorders. Hence, the present study was aimed to investigate the nephroprotective effects of ethanolic root extract of DC against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in Albino Wistar rats.

Methods: Nephrotoxicity in rats was induced by intraperitoneal administration of gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day) for 8 days. Rats of either sex were divided into four groups (n = 6). Group 1 served as control that received normal saline (i.p.) whereas Group 2 (GM) was treated with gentamicin which served as gentamicin-intoxicated group. Group 3-4 (DC200, DC 400) were pretreated with DC at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg (p.o.), respectively, 1 h before the gentamicin intoxication. Following treatment, the nephroprotective effects of DC were evaluated by using serum levels of urea, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid, and creatinine levels; change in body weight and wet kidney weight along with the histological observations among the experimental groups.

Results: Gentamicin intoxication induced elevated serum urea, BUN, uric acid, and creatinine levels which was found to be significantly (P < 0.01) decreased in a dose-dependent manner in groups received DC which was also evidenced by the histological observations.

Conclusion: DC showed a significant nephroprotective effect in a dose-dependent manner by ameliorating the gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and thus authenticates its ethnomedicinal use.