Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis sativa Extract in Mitigating Diclofenac-Induced Renal Toxicity in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Renal toxicity is known to be majorly caused by therapeutic drugs such as antibiotics and analgesics, whose frequent usage, especially in high doses causes oxidative stress and free radicals . Free radicals damage the mitochondrial function of the kidney by interacting with the lipid membranes and reducing the antioxidant mechanism through lipid peroxidation. Natural products are also used as therapeutic agents for treating various diseases due to their minimal side effects. There is evidence that Cannabis is a potent anti-inflammatory molecule that reduces the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, thus resulting in reduced tissue injury. The present study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of Cannabis sativa extract in diclofenac-induced kidney damage in Wistar rats. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into six (6) groups. The control groups were administered either physiological saline, diclofenac or Cannabis sativa extract, while the test groups were induced with kidney injury using 25 mg/kg body weight of diclofenac, and subsequently treated with 1000 mg/kg body weight of Cannabis sativa for varying period (up to 3weeks). The rats were sacrificed after the respective treatment period, blood samples were collected and analyzed for renal biomarkers (urea and creatinine) and sections of the kidneys were made to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the extract histologically. The animals treated for one and two weeks showed a slow therapeutic response, but a remarkable response in the form of a general decrease in inflammatory response and oedema in kidney tissue was observed in those treated for three weeks. There was also a steady decrease in the elevated serum urea and creatinine levels with increasing treatment duration. The restoration of renal biomarkers almost close to the normal range and a decrease in inflammatory responses indicate the therapeutic effects of some essential phytochemicals in the Cannabis sativa extract. However, further studies are required to identify and isolate the effective compounds responsible for these effects.