THE EFFECTS OF VERAPAMIL AND FISH-OIL ON CISPLATIN-INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN RATS

Cisplatin is one of the mostly preferred effective chemotherapeutic agent currently. Toxic acute renal failure (ARF) is the most prevalent adverse effect of the drug. The number of the studies to prevent its nephrotoxicity is limited


In this study, we aimed to detect the effects of highdose Verapamil and Omega-3 polyunsaturated fattv acid rich fish-oil in the prevention and treatment of Cisplatin nephrotoxicity.


This study was performed on body weight-matched male Wistar rats (220±24gr, n=32). Cisplatin was injected to the rats intraperitoneal^ in the dose of 6 mg/kg. Rats were separated to 3 groups and followed up for 14 days. Control group (n=8): No medication; Verapamil group (n=8): 5 mg/kg/day, subcutaneoiisly; Fish-oil group (n=8): 5 ml/kg/day, with gavage. Blood urea, creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values of rats were measured on the days 0, 3, 7, 10 and 14.


Although, there were no significant difference in blood urea levels between control and Verapamil group at the end of study (p>0.05), creatinine and GFR levels of Verapamil group were improved significantly (p<0.05) compared to control. Compared to control group the levels of creatinine, urea and GFR did not differ significantly, in Fish-oil group (p>0.05).


We concluded that, high-dose calcium channel blockers were effective in the treatment of Cisplatin nephrotoxicity (p<0,05), while the drug was not effective to prevent it (p>0,05). There was no significant positive effect of Fish-oil (p>0.05) to treat and prevent the Cisplatin nephrotoxicity. However, fish-oil had been shown to be effective to treat ARF caused by some toxic agents except Cisplatin. In this study, the number of subjects are insufficient to make a decision about the effects of the drugs on ARF. Hence, more detailed investigations are needed to express their effectiveness on Cisplatin nephrotoxicity.