Omega-3 fatty acids prevented codeine-induced kidney damage by increasing antioxidant activity, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting apoptosis.

Abstract

Background: The abuse of drugs including codeine has been increasingly documented among women. Furthermore, the misuse of codeine has been associated with deleterious effect on organ including the kidney.Omega-3 fatty acid has shown antioxidant function and benefits for preventing organ damage, nevertheless, there are limited studies to show its effect on codeineinduced renal dysfunction on female wistar rats. Objectives: The current study therefore investigated the effect of omega-3 fatty acid on codeine induced renal dysfunction in female wistar rats. Materials and methods: twenty female Wistar rats ranging between 160- 180 g were randomized into four groups (n=5/group): Group 1 [Control (0.5 mL)]; Group 2 [Codeine (10 mg/kg BW)]; Group 3 [Omega-3 fatty acid(300 mg/kg BW)] and Group 4 [Codeine (10 mg/kg BW) and Omega-3 fatty acid (300 mg/kg BW )] respectively. Administrations (via oral) was done for eight weeks (56 days). Results: Data reveals that codeine administration resulted in significant increase of urea, creatinine, serum electrolytes( Na+ ,𝐻𝐶𝑂3 − ), oxidative stress, injury markers, kidney indices, inflammatory markers, apoptotic markers thereby causing decrease in renal blood flow, increase hydrostatic pressure, hypertension, metabolic alkalosis and acidosis, edema, diabetes, mitochondria dysfunction and a significant reduction in K+ , antioxidant activities and the relative body weight gain causing cases such as hypokalemia, thereby leading to structural and functional disruption of the kidney tissues of female rats while enhancing kidney injury, potentially through oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptotic mechanisms. However, coadministration of Omega 3 fatty acids with codeine demonstrated a protective effect against codeine-induced renal dysfunctions by upregulating antioxidant activities and reducing inflammation and apoptosis mechanisms. Conclusions: Thus, this present study demonstrates the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on codeine- induced renal damage in female wistar rats. Keywords: Renal injury, Codeine, Omega-3 fatty acid, Oxidative stress, Apoptosis