Study of the effect of safflower(carthamus tinctorius) hydroalcoholic extract on renal function in male Wistar rats

Safflower as a chromogen plant can be used in food industry instead of synthetic colorful compound and saffron as well. This plant has some useful properties such as anti-inflammation. But there are no published researches about useful and harmful effects of this plant on renal function. Therefore this study was done to determine this point.

40 wistar male rats were selected and divided into 4 groups (control and 3 experimental groups). The experimental groups 1,2 and 3 received 100, 200 and 300mg/kg/B.W of the extract respectively as subcutaneously for 28days . Blood sample was obtained at days 14 and 28 .After separating serum uric acid, creatinine and BUN were measured by colorimetrically methods. Potassium and sodium were assayed by photometrically methods.

There were no significant statistical differences between the mean concentration of creatinine and uric acid in experimental groups and control group in two terms of study. But there were significant statistically differences between the mean concentration of urea nitrogen of some experimental groups in comparison to control group and also between the mean levels of sodium and potassium in all three experimental groups in comparison to control group in days 14 and 28.

Due to the serum creatinine and uric acid concentration don’t changes statistically we can resulted the different doses of Safflower  hydroalcoholic extract have no effect on renal function in short, or long term, so can be used this plant, without any concern with it's renal complications in long term.