Evaluation of Smilax excelsa L. Use in experimentally induced nephrotoxicity [Deneysel olarak oluşturulmuş böbrek hasari{dotless} üzerine Smilax excelsa L. Kullani{dotless}mi{dotless}ni{dotless}n deǧerlendirilmesi]

The protective effect of an aqueous extract of the shoots and leaves of smilax excelsa l against acute carbon tetrachloride (ccl4)-induced toxicity and the changes in antioxidative defense activities in kidney of rats were investigated. female wistar rats were supplied with s. excelsa shoots and leaves aqueous extract once a day for 9 days (orally at a dose of 100,200 and 400 mg/kg of body weight) prior to renal injury induction through intraperitoneal injection with a single dose of ccl4 (1 ml/kg body wt,in a 20% v/v olive oil solution) on the 10th day. 24 h after ccl4 intoxication serum and tissue biochemical and hispathological analyses were undertaken after sacrification under anesthesia. administration of the extract reversed the antioxidant parameters which were impaired in ccl4 group,in a dose dependent manner and at a dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight the levels of almost all the parameters were almost back to normal control group. nevertheless,the extract did not completely improve the ccl4-induced degenerative changes observed microscopically in kidney tissue. the results of this study suggest that s. excelsa could protect the kidney tissue against ccl4-induced nephrotoxicity in rats,probably by increasing antioxidative defense activities.