Protective Effect of Tamarind against Renal Injury Induced by Gamma Rays

Tamarindus indica L. seed extract (TSE) efficacy against 7-rays -induced nephrotoxicity in irradiated rats was investigated. Forty albino-rats were divided into four groups: Control, rats were orally administered the vehicle for 6weeks, TSE-treated (each rat received 230mg TSE; once daily, for 6weeks), irradiated (animals subjected to whole body gamma-rays (8Gy), and TSE-treated and irradiated (each rat received 230mg TSE; once daily for 6week, then one -hour later after last-treatment, rats were exposed to whole body 7-rays (8Gy). The results revealed that TSE before -irradiation significantly abolish 7-rays -induced alleviation in renal catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (PGx) activities and reduced-glutathione (GSH) content and significantly limited the elevation in serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels when compared to irradiated rat group. The histopathological-findings of renal tissues in the irradiated-group, showed nephrotoxicity; the renal cortex showed massive necrotic changes, the convoluted tubules showed distinctive pattern of ischemic renal injury and the cuboidal epithelium cells of proximal and distal renal tubules showed nuclear changes with leukocytes infiltrations. More over some cases showed atrophied glomeruli, widened Bowman's space and thickened basement membrane, while in TSE-treated and irradiated-group, renal-tissues showed minimum-damage with or without few degenerative changes. TSE acts as a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drug to prevent and/ or ameliorates the hazardous-effects of gamma-rays