Conclusion
The current findings support that co-administration of geraniol with methotrexate may attenuate methotrexate-induced acute kidney injury.
Methods
Male Wister rats were allocated into five groups: control, geraniol (orally), methotrexate (IP), methotrexate and geraniol (100 and 200 mg/kg).
Results
Geraniol effectively reduced the serum levels of creatinine, urea and Kim-1 with an increase in the serum level of albumin when compared to the methotrexate-treated group. Geraniol reduced Keap1, escalated Nrf2 and HO-1, enhanced the antioxidant parameters GSH, SOD, CAT and GSHPx and reduced MDA and NO. Geraniol decreased renal P38 MAPK and NF-κB and ameliorated the inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10. Geraniol negatively regulated the apoptotic mediators Bax and caspase-3 and -9 and increased Bcl2. All the biochemical findings were supported by the alleviation of histopathological changes in kidney tissues.