Effect of experimentally induced sepsis on the kidney and renal artery of adult male albino rats and the role of Boswellia serrata extract

Background

Sepsis can be cured with effective antibiotics against susceptible organisms if treatment is provided early and promptly. As a result of antibiotic resistance and chemotherapeutic agents’ side effects, the use of these medications is restricted. Thus, the search for novel therapeutic targets and studies on the pathogenesis of sepsis has increased. In this study, we aimed to examine the treatment effects of Boswellia serrata extract (BSE) pre- or pre and post-treatment after sepsis induction.

Material and methods

adult male albino rats were assigned into 5 groups: control, BSE, septic, septic pre-treated, or septic pre and post-treated by BSE. Sepsis induction was performed by modified cecal slurry and 500 mg/kg/oral of BSE was administered.

Results

It was found that the elevated serum urea and creatinine in the septic group were ameliorated by pre- or pre and post-treatment with BSE. Parallel histopathological examinations revealed that BSE ameliorated the pathological changes of the kidney and renal artery including shrinkage of capillary tufts, widening of Bowman's space, focal tubular dilatation and appearance of casts inside the tubules, desquamation of endothelium, thickening of tunica media decreasing the diameter of the lumen of the renal artery compared to the septic group. Periodic acid Schiff staining increased while collagen fibers decreased in BSE-treated groups (P < 0.001). Additionally, Cluster of Differentiation 15 (CD15) and the paired box (PAX) expression were downregulated (P < 0.001) and E-cadherin expression was improved in the BSE-treated groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

These data indicate that BSE minimizes the lesions of sepsis-induced kidney injury and could be useful in improving the pathological alterations of parenchymal organs associated with sepsis.