The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of
lycopene on
cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. The control group (group 1) received physiological saline; animals in group 2 received only
cisplatin;
a 10 days of
lycopene pre-treatment was applied to the animals in group 3 before administration of
cisplatin; a 5 days of
lycopene treatment was performed following administration of
cisplatin for the animals in group 4.
Cisplatin (7 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected as a single dose and
lycopene (4 mg/kg) was administered by gavage in
corn oil. Biochemical and histopathological methods were utilised for evaluation of the nephrotoxicity. The concentrations of
creatinine,
urea, Na+ and K+ in plasma and levels of
malondialdehyde and
reduced glutathione as well as
glutathione peroxidase and
catalase activities were determined in kidney tissue. Administration of
cisplatin to rats induced a marked
renal failure, characterized with a significant increase in plasma
creatinine and
urea concentrations. Na+ and K+ levels of rats received
cisplatin alone were not significantly different compared to control group, but they had higher kidney
malondialdehyde, and lower reduce
glutathione concentrations,
glutathione peroxidase and
catalase activities.
Lycopene administration produced amelioration in biochemical indices of nephrotoxicity in both plasma and kidney tissues when compared to group 2; pre-treatment with
lycopene being more effective. Results from this study indicate that the novel natural
antioxidant lycopene might have protective effect against
cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress in rat.