Human placental extract ameliorates methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity in albino rats: ultrastructural, biochemical...

Methotrexate (MTX) is a well-known medication for the treatment of different cancer types and autoimmune diseases. The current study target was to measure the capability of human placental extract (HPE) to ameliorate the nephrotoxicity induced by MTX in male albino rats. In the present study, rats were distributed into four groups; a control group (each rat was intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 ml of 0.9% NaCl daily for five days), HPE-treated group (HPE, 10.08 mg/Kg b.w/day, was subcutaneously injected for two weeks), MTX-treated group (MTX, 5 mg/Kg b.w/day, was intraperitoneally injected for five days) and MTX and HPE-treated group (Both MTX and HPE were injected to rats at the same time with the same doses, duration and injection routes in MTX and HPE groups). During the experimental period, clinical observations and body weights of rats were recorded. Rats were dissected after twenty-four hours from the last dose of each group, blood samples were collected for relative blood viscosity measurements and kidneys were also collected for biochemical, ultrastructural and dielectric properties (dielectric constant, dielectric loss and conductivity) investigations. MTX treatment resulted in a highly significant decrease in rat body weights, a highly significant decrease in glutathione (GSH) level and catalase (CAT) activity, a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and a highly significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and relative blood viscosity compared to the control group. Besides, obvious ultrastructural changes and pronounced decrease in the dielectric properties of kidney tissues were noticed. While HPE treatment with MTX improved body weight, biochemical, ultrastructural and biophysical changes comparing to the MTX group. Human placental extract can reduce MTX-induced nephrotoxicity in rats through boosting oxidative stress/anti-oxidant balance as it is rich with essential elements.