ABSTRACT
This study aimed to investigate the effects of turmeric and gum Arabic supplementation on protein status, kidney functions, kidney antioxidant enzymes, and histopathological changes in the kidneys of rats suffering from glycerol toxicity. Sixty-six male albino rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain, weighing 150 + 10g, were used in this study. The rats in this study were divided into two main groups. The first main group (6 rats) was fed a basal diet (BD) as a control negative group (-ve). The second main group (60 rats) was divided into ten subgroups (6 rats each). The rats in the second main group were fed as follows: Subgroup (1): fed on a basal diet (BD) only as a control positive group (+ve). Subgroups (2, 3, and 4) were fed BD containing 1, 2, and 4 g of gum Arabic (GA) per100 g of diet, respectively. Subgroups (5, 6, and 7) were fed BD containing 1, 2, and 4 g of turmeric per 100 g of diet, respectively. Subgroup (8) was fed BD containing 1 g of GA and 1g of turmeric per 100 g of diet. Subgroup (9) was fed BD containing 2 g of GA and 2g of turmeric per 100 g of diet. Subgroup (10) was fed BD containing 4 g of GA and 4g of turmeric per100 g of diet. Rats were fed on these diets for 28 days before and after 3 days' injection with glycerol to induce acute renal failure. The results indicated that glycerol decreased feed intake and body weight percent, and serum results revealed that protein and globulin decreased while albumin, uric acid, and creatinine increased. Kidney results revealed that glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities decreased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) activity increased, as compared to the negative control group. Treating rats that were suffering from kidney alteration induced by glycerol with tested diets improved all of these parameters and ameliorated histopathological lesions seen in the kidney as compared to non-treated rats, especially the groups that were fed a diet containing a mixture of gum Arabic and turmeric at level 4%. Conclusion: gum Arabic, turmeric and their combination can be used to reduce the side effects of kidney diseases. Therefore, intake of gum Arabic and turmeric may be beneficial for kidney disease patients.