Raghuram Akinapelli*1, S.N Sri Harsha1, D. Yashwanth Kumar2
Faculty of Pharmacy, PACIFIC University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
A B S T R A C T
Kidneys have sensitive tasks, especially when they deal with unwanted substances, which have to be cleared from the system, principally toxins. Kidneys play an important role in the regulation of our endocrine and acid-base balance, erythropoiesis (creation of new red blood cells), blood pressure etc., a real multi-tasking entity inside our body. So it becomes problematic when kidney functions declines which may be induced by diseases which may not have direct relation to renal pathophysiology. Nephrotoxicity is a lethal effect of few substances, toxic chemicals and therapeutic medications on the kidney leading to renal injury. There are different forms of toxicity. Some medications predominantly needed renal excretion and the dose should be adjusted for the reduced renal function conditions (e.g. Heparin). The incidence of nephrotoxicity from amino glycosides has been increasing from 2 to 3% in 1969 to 20% over the past decade. Persons with renal failure are at increased risk for macro vascular and micro vascular disease. Currently available synthetic nephroprotective agents produce serious side effects. This leads to a demand for herbal products with nephroprotective activity and fewer side effects. Hence the effects of oral administration of methanol extract of Seeds of Cassia tora has been studied in cisplatin induced acute renal failure in swiss albino mice. The disease induced mice treated with methanol extract of seeds of Cassia tora at two doses 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg, extract high dose 500 mg/kg kept as test control without treatment of cisplatin. Test extracts exhibited a significant dose dependent nephroprotective activity compared to disease control. The results indicate that the methanol extract of Cassia tora is endowed with nephroprotective activity.
Keywords: Cassia tora, Cisplatin, Kidneys, Nephroprotective Activity