Clinical & Experimental Cardiology
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9880
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2155-9880
+44 1300 500008
Zewdneh Shewamene and Ephrem Engidawork
Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Clin Exp Cardiolog
Although various studies have been conducted to shed light on the pharmacological actions of khat, little or no data available regarding khat?s effect on the renal redox system.The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the potential of nephrotoxicity associated with khat exposure in rats. Sprague Dawely rats were randomly assigned into eight experimental groups.Animals were treated with Tween80, gentamicin 100 mg/kg and khat at various doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg)alone or in combination with gentamicin for ten days. The animals were then sacrificed to obtain blood and renal tissuesfor subsequent analysis. Renal markers, including creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, antioxidant enzymes as well as markers for lipid peroxidation were determined using established protocols. In addition, histopathological changes were evaluated with hematoxilin and-eosin staining technique. Lower and moderate doses of khat did not alter the measured parameterscompared to controls. By contrast, higher dose (400 mg/kg)of khat not only increasedlevels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (p<0.001)but also levels of malondialdehyde (p<0.01). Moreover, 400 mg/kg of khat significantly decreased enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (p<0.01) and catalase (p<0.001). When khat was administered with gentamicin, it was again the higher dose that significantly accentuated gentamicin-induced alterations in the renal system.