title: Efficacy of Co-administration of Garlic Extract and Metformin for Prevention of Gentamicin-Renal Toxicity in Wistar Rats: A Biochemical Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gentamicin (GM) nephrotoxicity has been related to oxidative stress. Garlic and metformin (MF) have anti-oxadant activity and therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the preventive and curative effects of garlic, MF and their combination on GM indeced tubular toxicity in Wistar rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a pre-clinical study, 70 male Wistar rats were randomly designated into 7 groups of 10 and treated as follows: Group 1: Received saline for 20 days. Group 2: Were injected 100 mg/kg/d of GM intraperitoneally (ip), for 10 days and saline for 10 more days. Group 3: Received GM for 10 days then 20 mg/kg garlic ip for the next 10 days. Group 4: Received GM for 10 days and MF (100 mg/kg) orally for the next 10 days. Group 5: Received GM for 10 days and a combination of MF and garlic for the next 10 days (100 and 20 mg/kg, respectively). Group 6: The same as group 5but with half-doses of MF and Garlic. Group 7: Received GM for 10 days together with a combination ofMF and garlic. On 20(th) day of the experiment the serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) were measured and compared in different groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GM injection significantly increased the serum BUN and Cr (P < 0.05). Administration of MF, garlic or their combination with or after injection of GM (high doses) could atenuate BUN and Cr.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that MF and garlic or their combination have curative and protective activity against GM nephrotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Medical Plants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rafieian-Kopaei
authors.forename: Azar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baradaran
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merrikhi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nematbakhsh
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Madihi
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasri
keywords: Garlic; gentamicin; metformin; nephrotoxicity