A comparative study pertaining to deleterious effects of diclofenac sodium and meloxicam on kidney tissue in rats

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are a class of drugs with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects. Diclofenac sodium is one of the world's most widely-prescribed NSAIDs. Meloxicam is another NSAID that was approved in the last several years. Treatment with NSAIDs may result in renal damage. Relatively, little is known about comparative nephrotoxicity of NSAIDs. Therefore, the present study was designed to compare the adverse effects of diclofenac sodium and meloxicam on renal tissue in rats. Forty eight Wistar male rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups of 16 animals each. Group C served as normal control and received normal saline. Group D and M received diclofenac sodium (2.3 mg/kg/day) and meloxicam (2.3 mg/kg/day), respectively. After 17 days, all rats were scarified. Their kidneys were then harvested and processed for histological examination. In addition to cellular details, renal tubular count and diameter were assessed with the light microscope. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. We found that the mean number of renal tubules was significantly lower in group D, than in group C. Moreover, the mean renal tubular diameter was significantly higher in group D than in group C. The present study showed that a considerable degree of nephrotoxicity resulted from diclofenac sodium, compared to meloxicam. We suggest that diclofenac sodium can be replaced with meloxicam.