THE IMPACT OF HESPERIDIN AND DOXORUBICIN TREATMENT ON ELECTROLYTES LEVEL IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Doxorubicin, a common chemotherapy drug, can cause nephrotoxicity, leading to electrolyte imbalances and kidney damage. Hesperidin, a natural flavonoid, has shown potential for protecting against such damage. This study evaluates the effect of hesperidin on serum electrolyte levels and kidney histology in doxorubicin-induced nephrotoxicity in male Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: control, doxorubicin, hesperidin, doxorubicin + hesperidin (Doxo+Hesp), and doxorubicin + captopril (Doxo+Captopril). The administration lasted for four (4) weeks and the rats were sacrificed and the blood was used to assay for biochemical parameters such as serum potassium level and sodium levels and kidney tissues were analyzed histologically. The results showed that serum sodium levels were not significantly affected across groups. However, doxorubicin treatment significantly reduced potassium levels (11.80±0.8602), while co-administration with hesperidin restored potassium levels (17.40±0.8124). Histological analysis showed tubular pyknosis and glomerular hypercellularity in the doxorubicin group, which were mitigated by hesperidin and captopril, resulting in near-normal kidney structure. In conclusion, Hesperidin effectively counteracted doxorubicin-induced nephrotoxicity, restoring potassium balance and preserving kidney structure. These findings suggest that hesperidin could be a beneficial adjunct therapy for reducing chemotherapy-induced kidney damage.