protective and antiinflammatory effects of silymarin on paraquatinduced nephrotoxicity in rats

Introduction: paraquat is a quaternary nitrogen herbicide which induces kidney toxicity due to producing oxidative stress. we have investigated the potential protective effects of silymarin on paraquat-induced renal toxicity. methods: twenty-four male rats were divided into three groups, group 1, control group; group 2, rats that received paraquat only (25 mg/kg b.w./day, po); animals in group 3, was treated with paraquat (25 mg/kg b.w./day, po) and silymarin (50 mg/kg b.w./day, po). then, the serum and tissue parameters of the oxidative stress and renal histopathological changes were examined. results: in group 2 which received paraquat only, a remarkable increase (p<0.05) was observed in serum creatinine, urea, malondialdehyde (mda), protein carbonyl, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (tnf-α). also, there was a significant decrease in renal superoxide dismutase, catalase (cat), ferric reducing ability of plasma (frap) and vitamin c in the second group. oral administration of silymarin significantly decreased serum urea, creatinine, protein carbonyl, mda, and tnf-α as well as renal histopathological changes. conclusion: the present study suggests that silymarin has anti-inflammatory and nephroprotective effects against nephrotoxicity caused by paraquat.