Protective Effect of Pomegranate Juice Against Radiation-Induced Histological and Ultra structural Changes in Kidney of Male Albino Rats

Ionizing radiation is a potent mutagenic and carcinogenic agent due to the liberation of free radicals. It is therefore essential to research for radioprotective measures. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of pomegranate juice on radiation - induced damage in kidney tissues. Male albino rats were whole body gamma irradiated with 5 Gy delivered as a single shot dose. Pomegranate juice was orally administered to rats (200 ml / Kg body weight) for 60 consecutive days before irradiation. Histopathological investigations of kidney tissues showed with light microscope (x400) showed different distortion in the renal corpuscles and renal convoluted tubular epithelial cells. These distortions varied from swelling, vaculation to nercrosis and complete degeneration of the epithelial cells of proximal and distal tubules. The kidney glomeruli were shrunken and obvious lesions in the fine structures of renal tissue were detected by electron microscopy (x 6000) as swelling and crystalysis of mitochondria. The rough endoplasmic reticulum exhibited various degrees of damage, dilatation, fragmentation, degranulation and destruction. Lysosomes were abundant and destruction of the brush border was evident. The nucleus showed irregular nuclear membrane besides clumped marginated chromatin. Oral administration of pomegranate juice before irradiation exerted marked improvement of the histological and ultrastructural changes induced by gamma irradiation. It could be concluded that pomegranate juice might protect kidney tissues from radiation- induced histological and ultrastructural damage due to its antioxidant activity and its capacity to scavenge free radicals and decrease oxidative stress.