Abstract
Prolonged use of antiretroviral agents has been clearly associated with nephrotoxicity, suggesting deterioration of renal function in patients receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). The present study was designed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of resveratrol (RV) in the treatment toxins-induced renal impairment. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats weighing 70-90 g were divided into four groups and subjected to the following treatments: Control A (distilled water), B (HAART), C (RV-2.5 mg/kg), D (RV- 2.5 mg/kg) + HAART. Assessment included renal histological examination; renal function indicators such as serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen; serum electrolyte levels including sodium, chloride, potassium, bicarbonate; and oxidative stress biomarkers such as malondialdehyde, catalase and glutathione and superoxide dismutase. Adverse effects of HAART include adverse histological changes, such as tubular atrophy, vacuolization, tubular granular degeneration and glomerular capillaries abnormalities. Compared to the other treatment cohorts, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), sodium, chloride and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly increased, while antioxidant enzyme activities such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels were notably decreased. Renal structure remained largely unchanged after RV administration, with some recovery in histological abnormalities. Visible improvements, including reduced inflammation, reduced necrosis, reduced vacuolization and improved tubule and glomerular configuration, were also observed. In addition, RV notably increased antioxidant enzyme levels (SOD, CAT, and GSH) and decreased BUN, serum creatinine and MDA levels. RV helped mitigate HAART-induced structural abnormalities and renal dysfunction, while improving renal morphology. However, further investigation of these mechanisms is needed.