Histopathological study of the combination of metformin and garlic juice for the attenuation of gentamicin renal toxicity in rats

INTRODUCTION Tubular toxicity is one of the most important side effects of aminoglycoside antibiotics, especially gentamicin. OBJECTIVES We histopathologically studied the effect of garlic extract and metformin co-administration, in attenuation of genetamicin induced tubular toxicity in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study seventy rats were divided into seven equal groups and except group 1 (control) were injected 100 mg/kg/day gentamicin (GM) intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 10 days. Other than GM, group III received 20 mg/kg garlic (i.p.), group IV metformin (MF) (100 mg/kg, orally), group V a combination of MF with garlic juice (100 and 20 mg/kg/day, respectively) and group VI a combination of MF and garlic juice (50 and 10 mg/kg/day, respectively) for following 10 days. Group VII received a combination of MF and garlic juice (100 and 20 mg/kg, respectively) along with GM. Animals were sacrificed on the 20(th) day of the experiment and the kidneys were removed for histological examinations. RESULTS GM induced nephrotoxicity and garlic or MF alone and a combination of both with high doses (not low doses) significantly abolished the kidney tubular injury induced by GM. In addition, co-administration of GM, MF and garlic (group 7) prevented the GM- induced tissue damage more than the groups in which MF and garlic were injected 10 days post GM administration. CONCLUSION Garlic extract and Metformin, alone or in a combination, might be safely used to ameliorate GM induced tubular toxicity.