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Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) (Z. lotus) is a medicinal plant largely distributed all over the Mediterranean basin and is traditionally used by Moroccan people to treat many illnesses, including kidney failure. The nephrotoxicity of gentamicin (GM) has been well documented in humans and animals, although the preventive strategies against it remain to be studied. In this investigation, we explore whether the extract of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) Fruit (ZLF) exhibits a protective effect against renal damage produced by GM. Indeed, twenty-four Wistar rats were separated into four equal groups of six each (♂/♀ = 1). The control group was treated orally with distilled water (10 mL/kg), the GM treated group received distilled water (10 mL/kg) and an intraperitoneal injection of GM (80 mg/kg) 3 h after, and the treated groups received ZLF extract orally at the doses 200 or 400 mg/kg and injected intraperitoneally with the GM. All treatments were given daily for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, the biochemical parameters and the histological observation related the kidney function was explored. ZLF treatment has significantly attenuated the nephrotoxicity induced by the GM. This effect was indicated by its capacity to decrease significantly the serum creatinine, uric acid, urea, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, albumin, calcium, sodium amounts, water intake, urinary volume, and relative kidney weight. In addition, this effect was also shown by the increase in the creatinine clearance, urinary creatinine, uric acid, and urea levels, weight gain, compared to the rats treated only with the GM. The hemostasis of oxidants/antioxidants has been significantly improved with the treatment of ZLF extract, which was shown by a significant reduction in malondialdehydes levels. Histopathological analysis of renal tissue was correlated with biochemical observation. Chemical analysis by HPLC-DAD showed that the aqueous extract of ZLF is rich in phenolic compounds such as 3-hydroxycinnamic acid, catechin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hydroxytyrosol, naringenin, p- coumaric Acid, quercetin, rutin, and vanillic acid. In conclusion, ZLF extract improved the nephrotoxicity induced by GM, through the improvement of the biochemical and histological parameters and thus validates its ethnomedicinal use.

Determination of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is considered the best indicator of renal function. Iohexol, a non-ionic contrast agent, is currently considered to be a reference marker since it meets all the requirements of an ideal GFR marker. The aim of our work is to develop and optimize a method for iohexol measurement by HPLC-UV. The results showing the following optimal conditions : a mobile phase with water and 5% of acetonitrile, a C18 analytical column (250 × 4 mm, 5 μm particle size) with a temperature of 40 °C and a flow rate of 1 ml/min. Serum samples are deproteinized by addition of perchloric acid (6%), while urine samples are only diluted. For both matrices, the method is linear (r2 > 0.99) and the recovery is > 98%. For selectivity, no interfering endogenous components at the retention time of iohexol was observed. The results of the matrix effect showed a clinically acceptable variation in most concentration levels except for 100 μg/mL, in urine, where the effect was slightly present. Iohexol stability in urine decreases significantly only after 3 freeze–thaw cycles and after freezing at −80 °C for two months. According to those findings results this method is simple, specific, linear, precise and robust, which allows its application for the direct measurement of the GFR after its analytical validation.