Assessment of Nephroprotective Properties of Vitex Agnus castus Extract in Cisplatin-Treated Wistar Rats: A Pilot Study

Background: Cisplatin (CP) is used to treat various solid tumors but is associated with nephrotoxicity, which varies with dose and duration. Vitex Agnus castus (VAC) berries, known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, may alleviate CP-induced renal toxicity. Objective: To investigate the gender-specific responses to cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and evaluate VAC extract's nephroprotective effects. Methods: Four-month-old Wistar rats (n=36) (24 male, 12 female) were used. In phase 1, gender-based differences in CP-induced nephrotoxicity were assessed. The gender group with higher nephrotoxicity was selected for phase 2 to evaluate VAC's nephroprotective properties. Animals were randomly grouped as Normal Control (6 males & 6 females), CP Control (6 males & 6 females) received CP (7 mg/kg bw) injection, VAC Control (received 165 mg/kg bw VAC for 7 days daily), and CP+VAC (CP injection followed by VAC orally for 7 days). Results: CP-treated male rats showed significantly higher plasma creatinine, urea, and BUN levels (p<0.05) than controls, while female rats showed slight increases. Male rats were chosen for phase 2, where VAC treatment post-CP injection lowered the kidney function parameters, though not significantly compared to CP controls. Histopathology revealed severe tubular damage and dilation in CP-treated kidneys compared to controls. Conclusion: Cisplatin (7 mg/kg bw) causes acute kidney injury, with male rats showing more nephrotoxicity. VAC extract reduced biochemical markers of nephrotoxicity but did not reverse CP-induced damage, suggesting potential mitigation of some CP-induced renal toxicity.