Abstract

Background: Omeprazole has long-term use adverse effects even though is commonly used.

Aim: Evaluation of the possible renal protective effect of ginseng against the long-term omeprazole-induced adverse effects.

Methods: Forty albino rats were divided into: C group (control), G group (ginseng), OM group (omeprazole) and OM-G group (omeprazole-ginseng). Renal functions and histological renal tissues were investigated.

Results: The OM group had significantly high levels of urea, creatinine and 24-hours protein urea. A significant glomerular, tubular and interstitial injury was observed; congestion, inflammatory cell infiltration, tubular damage, increased collagen deposition and significant increases in COX-2 and caspase-3 immune expression. While adding ginseng with omeprazole resulted in marked improvement in these changes.

Conclusion: Long-term use of omeprazole induced renal functional and morphological changes. All through induction of inflammatory reaction, fibrosis, cellular degeneration and apoptosis. By adding ginseng, these effects were ameliorated through its anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects.

Keywords: Ginseng, Inflammation, Fibrosis, COX-2, Caspase-3.