Introduction: Sulfasalazine is a disease modifying anti-rheumatic medication, used in the treatment of idiopathic arthritis. Kidney damage is one of its side effects.
Objective: To investigate the protective role of garlic oil against sulfasalazine-induced renal injury.
Materials and Methods: Thirty adult albino rats; with average weight of 150-200 gm were randomly divided into three groups. They received the medications by orogastric tube for 14 days.
Group I (control group): included 12 rats further subdivided into 2 equal groups: I a received 200 ml phosphate buffer saline (vehicle of drug). I b: received 100 mg/kg/day garlic oil. Group II (experimental group): included 18 rats, further subdivided into 3 equal groups II a (treated group): received sulfasalazine 600 mg/kg /day. II b (low garlic oil group): received sulfasalazine 600 mg/kg/day and 100 mg/kg/day of garlic oil. II c (high garlic oil group): received sulfasalazine 600 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day of garlic oil.
Results: Serum creatinine and BUN were significantly high in sulfasalazine treated group) II a( .Sulfasalazine caused wide range of proximal tubular damage; defective brush border, distorted outline, vacuolated lining cells and pyknotic nuclei. Ultrastructural changes were; perinuclear cisternal dilatation, mitochondrial abnormalities, disturbed lateral & basal infoldings and thickened basal lamina. In GII b (low garlic oil group) a significant level of protection was found in the form of restoration of normal proximal tubular structure while some tubules showed wide lumina with defective brush border and vacuolated lining cells. Ultrastructural changes were; limited tubular affection with degenerated mitochondria, partial loss of brush border. In group GII c (high garlic oil group) high degree of protection was found with few vacuolated cells and ultrastructural changes.
Conclusion: Sulfasalazine has marked renal tubular degenerative effects. Garlic oil has a dose-dependent protective effect.