Effects of the antioxidants curcumin or selenium on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and lipid peroxidation in rats

A large number of natural products and dietary components have been evaluated as potential chemoprotective agents. In the present investigation we report the effects of pre-treatment with two dietary antioxidants, curcumin (8 mg kg-1 body wt.) or selenium (1 mg kg-1 body wt.), on cisplatin-induced lipid peroxidation and nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats. Adult male rats were divided into six treatment and control groups of six rats each. The animals were pre-treated by gavage with two doses of each antioxidant, one dose 24 h and the second 10 min before cisplatin intraperitoneal injection (5 mg kg-1 body wt.). The rats were killed 3 days after cisplatin injection and serum, urine and kidney were isolated and analysed. Cisplatin administration resulted in significant reduction of body weight and higher urinary volumes were observed in all groups treated with this antitumor drug (P< 0.05). The animals treated with cisplatin showed a depletion of renal glutathione, increased lipid peroxidation, and an increase in serum creatinine levels (P< 0.05). The administration of curcumin or selenium alone did not increase lipid peroxidation compared to the control group (P> 0.05). Three days after curcumin or selenium plus cisplatin treatments, the renal damage induced by cisplatin did not recover at a significant statistically level. This study suggests that the natural antioxidants curcumin or selenium did not offer protection against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and lipid peroxidation in adult Wistar rats.