title: Nephroprotective Effect of the Leaves ofAloe barbadensis(Aloe Vera) against Toxicity Induced by Diclofenac Sodium in Albino Rabbits.
abstract: The present study was designed to evaluate the nephroprotective effect of the leaves ofAloe barbadensisagainst toxicity induced by diclofenac sodium in albino rabbits.
  
  
  
  Thirty-six healthy albino rabbits were randomly divided into six groups each with six animals. Group 1 served as the untreated control, group 2 was treated only with diclofenac sodium, group 3 with the nephroprotective drug silymarin and groups 4, 5, and 6 were treated with different doses ofAloe barbadensis,ie200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg, respectively after being treated with diclofenac sodium. Blood samples were collected after every five days up to fifteen days. Haematological and histopathological parameters were determined by using diagnostic kits.
  
  
  
  Results of haematological studies showed that use of the powder ofAloe barbadensisnormalized the level of different factorseg, white blood cells (WBCs), red blood cells (RBCs), platelet count, packed cell volume (PCV), mean cell volume (MCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) values. Histopathological studies showed thatAloe barbadensisameliorated pyknotic nuclei in the renal epithelial cells and reduced oxidative stress by increasing the level of catalase and decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) level.
  
  
  
  These results have shown thatAloe barbadensiscan normalize oxidative stress and can be used as an effective nephroprotective agent against drug-induced nephrotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iftkhar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. E-mail: maliha.sarfraz@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarfraz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jafri
authors.affiliation: Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ashraf