THE EFFECTS OF ENALAPRIL ON EXPERIMENTAL GENTAMICIN NEPHROTOXICITY

We examined the effects of Enalapril on glomerular and tubular renal changes induced by Gentamicin. The control group of Wistar rats was treated by physiological solvent. The second group was treated with Gentamicin in the dose of 100 mg/kg b.m. The third group was treated with Gentamicin in the same dose and with Enalapril in the dose of 1 mg/kg b.m. The levels of sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine from the blood samples were analyzed. The kidneys were taken out and processed in a standard histological way, by haematoxilin eosin and periodic acid shift coloring for light microscopy. Our results showed that simultaneous treatment with Gentamicin and Enalapril intensified and extensified the nephron morphological changes which corresponded to biochemical changes. The decrease of sodium serum concentration (p<0,01) and potassium serum concentration (p<0,05) as well as the increase of urea (p<0,001) and creatinine (p<0,001) in animals treated with Gentamicin compared to the control group were detected. The combination of Enalapril and Gentamicin resulted in more pronounced kidney damage than caused by Gentamicin alone, so that the levels of urea concentration in serum (p<0,001) and creatinine concentration (p<0,05) were higher in this experimental group. Sodium loss was more stressed by Enalapril treatment (p<0,05), while potassium concentration in serum was higher compared to the group treated with Gentamicin (p<0,01). Potassium significantly correlates with urea and creatinine values in rats treated with Gentamicine (C=0.418, C=0.536; p<0.05) and Gentamicin and Enalapril (C=0.359, p<0.05; C=0.596; p<0.01). Sodium also showed significant correlation with creatinine in rats treated with Gentamicin and Enalapril (C=0.459, p<0.05). Our findings support hypothesis that Enalapril causes exacerbation of Gentamicin nephrotoxicity