Sesame oil accelerates kidney healing following gentamicin-induced kidney injury in rats

Background/Aims: We investigated the therapeutic effect of a single dose of sesame oil against gentamicin-induced renal damage in rats. Methods: Experimental rats were subcutaneously injected with gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day for 7 days) to induce renal injury. Sesame oil (1, 2 or 4 ml/kg) was given orally 24 h after the last dose of gentamicin. Control rats were treated with saline only. Renal injury, histopathological examination, histochemical staining, osteopontin expression, superoxide anion, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite radical and lipid peroxidation were assessed 24 h after sesame oil administration. Results: Serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine as well as renal osteopontin expression, superoxide anion, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite radical and lipid peroxidation levels were higher in gentamicin-treated rats than in control rats. Sesame oil significantly decreased all the tested parameters compared with gentamicin-alone rats. Furthermore, histopathological and histochemical staining showed that renal tubules had recovered and regenerated in the sesame oil-treated rats. Conclusion: We hypothesize that a single dose of sesame oil inhibits oxidative stress to shorten the recovery period and allow the regeneration of renal tubules after the onset of gentamicin-induced renal injury in rats.