Hepatorenal Protective Effects of Walnut Oil against Anticancer Drug Methotrexate in Experimentally Induced Liver and Kidney Toxicity in Rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatorenal protective effects of walnut oil (WO) against anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX)-induced kidney and liver toxicity.

In our study, 40 male Sprague Dawley rats weighing between 200–250 g were used. The rats were randomly divided into four groups; Group 1, control group (corn oil by gavage for 14 days and intraperitoneal (i.p.) physiological saline on the third day, $$n=10$$), Group 2, WO group (2 ml/kg WO by gavage for 14 days and i.p. physiological saline on the third day, $$n=10$$), Group 3, MTX group (corn oil by gavage for 14 days and 20 mg/kg MTX single dose i.p. on the third day, $$n=10$$), Group 4,  MTX+WO group (2 ml/kg WO by gavage for 14 days and 20 mg/kg MTX single dose i.p. on the third day, $$n=10$$). At the end of the experiment, the rats were decapitated. Kidney and liver were preserved at –86 °C and biochemical measurements were performed.

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels increased and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) activities decreased in kidney and liver tissues in the methotrexate alone group compared to the control group. In the MTX+WO treated group, TBARS level decreased and GSH, CAT, SOD and GPx activities increased significantly compared to the MTX alone treated group.

It was found that MTX caused oxidative damage in kidney and liver tissues and WO prevented this damage. Walnut oil is protective against MTX-induced kidney and liver toxicity.