Nephroprotective Effects of Ipomoea cairica Leaf Extract against Diclofenac Induced Renal Damage in Male Wistar Rats

Ipomoea cairica is a medicinal plant traditionally employed in the treatment of malaria, viral illnesses, and bacterial infections. It is also applied therapeutically in the treatment of inflammatory and oxidative-related diseases. The study investigated the ameliorative potential of Ipomoea cairica leaf extract (ICE) against diclofenac-induced toxicity was investigated in rats. The rats were evenly assigned into five experimental groups (A, B, C, D, and E) of seven rats each. Group A was administered vehicle (control group); Group B was orally administered 100 mg/kg of diclofenac (DCF). Group C was orally administered 100 mg/kg of I. cairica leaf extract (ICE) for 14 consecutive days before exposure to DCF; group D was administered 250 mg/Kg of ICE for 14 consecutive days before administration of DCF. The rats were sacrificed 24 hrs after last administration and the blood and kidney were collected and processed for biochemical assays. The serum concentration of creatinine, urea, albumin, and electrolyte (sodium, potassium, chloride) were assessed. In addition, some markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl), enzymatic (glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione transferase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase) and non-enzymatic antioxidant (glutathione). The markers of oxidative enzymes (, NADP(H) oxidase, xanthine oxidase) and inflammatory enzyme (myeloperoxidase) were determined in the renal tissue of rats. DCF significantly increased serum creatinine (53.92%) (P<0.001) and no significant effect on urea and uric acid. In addition, the results also showed that DCF caused a significant decrease in electrolyte concentration (16.31% for sodium ion, 50.08% for potassium ion, and 44.71% for chloride ion) in the blood. With respect to oxidative stress, the results shows that DCF caused a significant increase in MDA concentration, decrease in antioxidant level and increase in inflammatory enzymes. ICE was able to reverse the induction of renal damage by DCF. The investigation gives credence to the neuropathic effect of the methanolic extract of the leaf extract against DCF-induced renal damage.