title: Improvement of kidney redox states contributes to the beneficial effects of dietary pomegranate peel against barium chloride-induced nephrotoxicity in adult rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pomegranate (Punica granatum L., Punicaceae) is known to possess enormous antioxidant activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the protective effects of pomegranate peel against barium-mediated renal damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were exposed during 21 days either to barium (67 ppm), barium + pomegranate peel (5% of diet) or to only pomegranate peel (5% of diet).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure rats to barium provoked a significant increase in kidney malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels. Creatinine, urea and uric acid levels in plasma and urine were also modified. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, non protein thiol (NPSH) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were decreased. Metallothionein (MT) production was increased and their genes expressions were up-regulated. All these changes were improved by dietary pomegranate peel. Moreover, the distorted histoarchitecture in kidney of barium group was alleviated by pomegranate peel.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed, for the first time, the protective effects of pomegranate peel against barium-induced renal oxidative damage.
authors.affiliation: a Animal Physiology Laboratory, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, Sfax University , Sfax , Tunisia .
authors.forename: Awatef
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elwej
authors.affiliation: a Animal Physiology Laboratory, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, Sfax University , Sfax , Tunisia .
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghorbel
authors.affiliation: b Biochemistry Laboratory, CHU Hedi Chaker, University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia , and.
authors.forename: Rim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marrekchi
authors.affiliation: c Anatomopathology Laboratory, CHU Habib Bourguiba, Sfax University , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ons
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Boudawara
authors.affiliation: b Biochemistry Laboratory, CHU Hedi Chaker, University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia , and.
authors.forename: Kamel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jamoussi
authors.affiliation: c Anatomopathology Laboratory, CHU Habib Bourguiba, Sfax University , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Tahia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boudawara
authors.affiliation: a Animal Physiology Laboratory, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, Sfax University , Sfax , Tunisia .
authors.forename: Najiba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeghal
authors.affiliation: a Animal Physiology Laboratory, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, Sfax University , Sfax , Tunisia .
authors.forename: Mediha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sefi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D017609:Barium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017609:Barium Compounds; D002712:Chlorides; D010936:Plant Extracts; C024986:barium chloride
keywords: Barium; histopathology; nephrotoxicity; pomegranate; rat