An Investigation into the Effects of Aqueous Extract of Carum Copticum on Renal Tissue and Uric Acid in Male Wistar Rats

Of the nine chemical compounds identified in the Carum Copticum extract, thymol, γ-terpinen, and parasaymn are considered as the main compounds utilized as antiemetic, anti-asthma, anti-nausea, and spasmodic, locally used in the treatment of rheumatic pains with therapeutic effects on skin diseases, mental disorders, and genitourinary diseases. The recent scientific studies have confirmed the antiseptic impact and decreasing effects of blood cholesterol in this plant. For the purpose of this study, 72 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups as control, sham, and experimental groups (1 to 4). While the control group received no treatment, sham group received 2/0 ml of distilled water and experimental groups (1 to 4) took daily 200, 400, 600 and 800 mg/kg aqueous extract of C. copticum as intraperitoneal injection, respectively. After a lapse of 16 and 32 days, rats blood samples were taken. The kidneys, belonging to rats died during blood sampling after day 16 and the rats remained alive after the day 32, were removed and their uric acid and renal histology were examined. The collected data then were analyzed using SPSS statistical software package. In this study, statistical tests such as one way ANOVA, and post hoc Duncan were carried out. P-value of less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant (p<0.05). The findings revealed that the use of aqueous extract of C. copticum in a low dose and short and long terms results in a body weight loss and with a moderate and high dose only in long term leads to a body weight loss. Regardless of the dose, the use of such extract in short and long terms increases the kidney function. In all groups, the kidney tissue in short and long terms was completely normal with no damage. As a conclusion, this study demonstrates that the use of C. copticum extract, with no adverse effect on renal tissue, causes an increase in kidney function, though the effects of these extracts will be somehow different in details in short and long terms.