Aqueous extract of Cucurbita pepo L. Fruits exhibits nephroprotective activity in a mouse model of gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity using In Vivo and In Silico approaches

Abstract

Background

The leaves and the fruits of Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitaceae) are traditionally used by the Lobi communities of Burkina Faso, Côte d′Ivoire and Ghana as a food and diuretic stimulant for children.

Aim

To evaluate the nephroprotective effect of the aqueous extract of Cucurbita pepo L. fruits against gentamicin-induced kidney damage.

Methods

Nephrotoxicity was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of gentamicin (80 mg/kg). The effects of aqueous extract of Cucurbita pepo fruits administered orally for 8 consecutive days at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg were assessed on renal and oxidative markers. HPLC-MS separation was performed on a Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C18 reversed-phase column maintained at 40°C with water/acetonitrile acidified with 0.1 % methanoic acid as mobile phase Results:

Extract at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg significantly reduced (p < 0.05) gentamicin-induced elevations in serum creatinine, serum uric acid and renal malondialdehyde. It significantly (p < 0.05) increased urine volume, glomerular filtration rate and decreased concentrations of urinary creatinine, urinary uric acid, serum protein and renal glutathione due to gentamicin. Extract at 100 and 200 mg/kg also significantly (p < 0.05) increased antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase, superoxide dismutase) in the kidney. Histology of kidney sections from animals treated with extract and vitamin C showed a reduction in pathological features compared with gentamicin-treated animals. LC-MS analysis show that, Cucurbita pepo fruits possesse melezitose, quinique acid, rinderine, scopletin, carboxynorspermidine, androstane-3,17-dione, kaur-9 (11) acid, 16-dienoique, and alpha bisabolol who have shown the capacity to bind to Factor Nuclear Kappa Beta (NF-κβ) and Necrosis Tumoral Factor alpha (TNF-α) proteins.

Conclusion

The results show that the nephroprotective potential of aqueous extract of Cucurbita pepo L. fruits due to the probable activities of its phytochemical components can be used against the gentamicin induced toxicity in kidney.