Protective Effect of Zingiber officinale on Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of ethyl acetate extract of fresh rhizomes of Zingiber officinale and dried fresh juice of fresh rhizomes of Zingiber officinale for its protective effects on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Nephrotoxicity was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal administration of gentamicin 100 mg/kg/day for eight days. Effect of concurrent administration of ethyl acetate extract and fresh juice extract of Zingiber officinale at a dose of 200 mg/kg/day given by oral route was determined using serum creatinine, serum uric acid, blood urea nitrogen and serum urea as indicators of kidney damage. The study groups contained six rats in each group. It was observed that the ethyl acetate extract and fresh juice extract of Zingiber officinale significantly protect rat kidneys from gentamicin-induced histopathological changes. Gentamicin-induced glomerular congestion, peritubular and blood vessel congestion, epithelial desquamation, accumulation of inflammatory cells and necrosis of the kidney cells were found to be reduced in the groups receiving the ethyl acetate and dried fresh juice extract of Zingiber officinale along with gentamicin. The extracts also normalized the gentamicin-induced increase in serum creatinine, serum uric acid, blood urea nitrogen and serum urea levels. This is also evidenced by the histopathological studies. Both the extracts possess significant nephroprotective activity.