Therapeutic and preventive effects of pumpkin seed extract on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Objective: This experiment was designed to demonstrate the therapeutic and preventive effects of pumpkin seed extract against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity. Methods: Forty male albino rats were randomly divided into five groups: control, gentamicin only, pumpkin seed extract only, gentamicin + pumpkin seed extract (treatment group), and pumpkin seed extract + gentamicin (preventive group). The pumpkin seed extract was administered orally at a dose of 500 mg/kg body weight. Results: Gentamicin administration significantly increased serum levels of urea (~90%), creatinine (~80%), malondialdehyde (MDA, ~70%), and endothelin-1 (ET-1, ~65%), while reducing catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) activities by approximately 45% and 50%, respectively, compared to controls. Co-administration of pumpkin seed extract, both preventively and therapeutically, significantly reversed these changes, restoring biochemical markers close to control levels. Histopathological evaluation confirmed the protective and reparative effects of the extract on kidney tissue. Conclusion: Pumpkin seed extract (500 mg/kg) demonstrated both preventive and therapeutic potential in mitigating gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.