NEPHROPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF ZANTHOXYLUM ARMATUM BARK EXTRACT AGAINST CISPLATIN-INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN EXPERIMENTAL RATS
Objective: The objective of the study is to evaluate the nephroprotective potential of Zanthoxylum armatum bark extract Methanolic extract of Zanthoxylum armatum (MZA) against cisplatin (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity in experimental rats. Methods: Wistar albino rats, weighing between 150 and 200 g, were split into five groups: Normal saline, intraperitoneally CS 16 mg/kg once, and oral methanolic extract of Z. armatum bark at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg for 42 days. Analyses of serum creatinine, blood urea, blood urea nitrogen, lipid peroxidation (LPO), uric acid, renal enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, and kidney histopathology were carried out. Results: Electrolyte imbalance, elevated renal biomarkers, decreased antioxidant enzyme activity, and increased LPO all showed that CS significantly impaired the kidneys and produced oxidative stress (p<0.001). Over 42 days, treatment with the methanolic extract considerably and dose-dependently reduced these changes, restoring renal function indicators, electrolyte balance, and antioxidant status, demonstrating the extract’s strong nephroprotective and antioxidant efficacy. Conclusion: These results substantiate the ethnomedical usage of Z. armatum bark extract by providing strong evidence that it functions as a powerful scavenger of free radicals and counteracts the harmful effects of CS in both histological and biochemical parameters.