The investigation of protective effects of Cardamom on renal tissue in doxorubicin induced experimental renal damage

Doxorubicin (DX) is a drug used in cancer chemotherapy. It is used in the treatment of hematological malignancies, various types of carcinomas and soft tissue sarcomas. Although it is quite effective and have broad-spectrum, its toxicity creates inconveniences. Dose-related cardiac, renal and hepatic side effects are observed. DX has toxic effects on glomeruli and tubulointerstitial structures. In order to avoid these effects, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents are being studied. Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom) is a plant from the family of gingers and it has antioxidant, antihypertensive gastroprotective, spasmolitic, antibacterial, anti-platelet anticancer properties. In this study, protective effects of cardamom against DX induced kidney damage were investigated. In this study, 24 adult male Wistar Albino rats were used. Animals were divided into 4 groups as 6 animals in each group. During the 14- day experiment period Group I did not have any application. Group II had 15 mg / kg single dose of doxorubicin intraperitoneally (ip); Group III had 15 mg / kg single dose of ip doxorubicin and oral 500 mcg/kg/day cardamom; and to Group IV oral 500mcg/kg/day cardamom was administered. At the end of the experiment the rats were decapitated and kidney tissues were removed. Tissues were controlled with light microscope and embedded in paraffin blocks. The findings examined and photographed. As result of immunohistochemical staining and examination with light microscope; TRPM2 immunoreactivity of DX group increased in comparison with control group, and cardamom application reversed this effect. Kidney tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and apoptosis detected by the TUNEL method were increased with doxorubicin administration and cardamom reversed all these effects significantly. This study showed that cardamom has anti- apoptotic and antioxidant effects on kidney tissue after doxorubicin induced injury. Keywords: Doxorubicin, kidney, cardamom, TRPM