BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic used in the treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections. Given that the prevalence of kidney damage has been reported about 10% while taking the drugs. In this study, the protective effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Lavandula officinalis on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity was studied.

METHODS: In this experimental study, thirty Wistar male rats were divided randomly into five groups of six in each group. The first group received normal saline (5 ml/kg) and the second group received gentamicin 80 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 10 days. Groups 3-5 received respectively 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of hydroalcoholic extract of Lavandula officinalis intraperitoneally 3 hours after gentamicin injection for 10 consecutive days. One day after the last injection, Serum creatinine, BUN, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were measured in left renal tissue. The right kidney was maintained in 10% formalin for Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and histological examination.

FINDINGS: The results showed that gentamicin changed significantly serum creatinine (3.4±0.27 mg/dl), BUN (62.79±4.46 mg/dl), Kidney tissue MDA (1232±188.1 nmol/mg protein) and GSH (2.82±0.33 nmol/mg protein) in rats compared to controls (0.57±0.16, 19.55±3.3, 369.40±58.57 and 6.22±0.74 respectively) (p<0.05). Extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg 400 significantly inhibited gentamicin-induced enhancement of serum creatinine, BUN and tissue MDA levels (p<0.05). Histological results showed that gentamicin could lead to kidney damage and tubular necrosis.

CONCLUSION: The results showed that hydroalcoholic extract of Lavandula officinalis reduces biochemical indices and oxidative stress parameters against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity icity.