Renal protection by Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seed oil against cadmium toxicity in male rats
Paper Details
Renal protection by Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seed oil against cadmium toxicity in male rats
Abstract
Cadmium is a persistent environmental contaminant that induces oxidative stress and disrupts renal function, posing serious risks to human and animal health. This study evaluated the protective effects of okra seed oil against cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity in male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into four groups: a healthy control group, a cadmium-exposed group, a group receiving okra seed oil alone, and a co-administrated cadmium and okra seed oil group. Biochemical analysis revealed that cadmium exposure significantly impaired renal function, disrupted protein and glucose regulation, and increased oxidative stress markers, indicating severe metabolic and functional disturbances. In contrast, rats treated with okra seed oil alone maintained normal biochemical profiles, demonstrating the safety of the oil. The co-administration of okra seed oil with cadmium significantly mitigated these negative effects, restoring several biochemical parameters toward control levels. Histopathological examination supported these findings. Kidneys from cadmium-exposed rats exhibited glomerular shrinkage, widening of Bowman’s spaces, tubular degeneration, medullary disorganization, and congestion. Conversely, kidneys from rats treated with okra seed oil alone maintained their normal architecture. Notably, co-administration of okra seed oil with cadmium markedly reduced these lesions, with partial preservation of glomerular and tubular morphology, improved cortical organization, and decreased medullary congestion. Overall, these results indicate that okra seed oil provides both functional and structural protection against cadmium-induced renal injury. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties serves as important biochemical and histological markers, highlighting okra seed oil as a promising natural intervention for heavy metal-induced nephrotoxicity.
Al-Kanani IAS, Al-Hilifi SAH, Abd-Al-kareem AH. 2019. Extraction of Iraqi okra seeds oil and study of its properties during different periods. Basrah Journal of Agricultural Sciences 32(Special Issue 2), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.37077/25200860.2019.257
Atlam HF, Wills GB. 2020. IoT security, privacy, safety and ethics. Internet of Things, 123–149. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18732-3_8/COVER
Bobulescu IA, Moe OW. 2012. Renal transport of uric acid: Evolving concepts and uncertainties. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease 19(6), 358–371. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ackd.2012.07.009
Bonfiglio R, Sisto R, Casciardi S, Palumbo V, Scioli MP, Palumbo A, Trivigno D, Giacobbi E, Servadei F, Melino G, Mauriello A, Scimeca M. 2024. The impact of toxic metal bioaccumulation on colorectal cancer: Unravelling the unexplored connection. Science of The Total Environment 906, 167667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167667
Briffa J, Sinagra E, Blundell R. 2020. Heavy metal pollution in the environment and their toxicological effects on humans. Heliyon 6(9), e04691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04691\
Devi U, Bhattacharyya KG. 2018. Mobility and bioavailability of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn in surface runoff sediments in the urban catchment area of Guwahati, India. Applied Water Science 8(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-018-0651-8
Elkhalifa AEO, Alshammari E, Adnan M, Alcantara JC, Awadelkareem AM, Eltoum NE, Mehmood K, Panda BP, Ashraf SA. 2021. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) as a potential dietary medicine with nutraceutical importance for sustainable health applications. Molecules 26(3), 696. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26030696
Fan Y, Jiang X, Xiao Y, Li H, Chen J, Bai W. 2024. Natural antioxidants mitigate heavy metal-induced reproductive toxicity: Prospective mechanisms and biomarkers. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 64(31), 11530–11542. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2023.2240399
Fauzi A, Titisari N, Sutarso, Mellisa V. 2020. Gentamicin nephrotoxicity in animal model: Study of kidney histopathology and physiological functions. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 465(1), 012005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/465/1/012005
Fernandes R. 2021. The controversial role of glucose in the diabetic kidney. Porto Biomedical Journal 6(1), e113. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000113
Fujishiro H, Liu Y, Ahmadi B, Templeton DM. 2018. Protective effect of cadmium-induced autophagy in rat renal mesangial cells. Archives of Toxicology 92(2), 619–631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-017-2103-x
Genchi G, Sinicropi MS, Lauria G, Carocci A, Catalano A. 2020. The effects of cadmium toxicity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(11), 3782. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113782
Haidar Z, Fatema K, Shoily SS, Sajib AA. 2023. Disease-associated metabolic pathways affected by heavy metals and metalloid. Toxicology Reports 10, 554–570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2023.04.010
Huff J, Lunn RM, Waalkes MP, Tomatis L, Infante PF. 2007. Cadmium-induced cancers in animals and in humans. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 13(2), 202–212. https://doi.org/10.1179/oeh.2007.13.2.202
Kamińska J, Dymicka-Piekarska V, Tomaszewska J, Matowicka-Karna J, Koper-Lenkiewicz OM. 2020. Diagnostic utility of protein to creatinine ratio (P/C ratio) in spot urine sample within routine clinical practice. Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences 57(5), 345–364. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408363.2020.1723487
Kazory A. 2010. Emergence of blood urea nitrogen as a biomarker of neurohormonal activation in heart failure. The American Journal of Cardiology 106(5), 694–700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2010.04.024
Korish MA, Attia YA. 2020. Evaluation of heavy metal content in feed, litter, meat, meat products, liver, and table eggs of chickens. Animals 10(4), 727. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040727
Lin HC, Hao WM, Chu PH. 2021. Cadmium and cardiovascular disease: An overview of pathophysiology, epidemiology, therapy, and predictive value. Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia 40(8), 611–617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.repc.2021.01.009
Mantovani A, Garlanda C. 2023. Humoral innate immunity and acute-phase proteins. The New England Journal of Medicine 389(5), 439–452. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2206346
Mokgalaboni K, Lebelo SL, Modjadji P, Ghaffary S. 2023. Okra ameliorates hyperglycaemia in pre-diabetic and type 2 diabetic patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinical evidence. Frontiers in Pharmacology 14(April), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1132650
Murray I, Paolini MA. 2020. Histology, kidney and glomerulus.
Nugrahaningsih WH, Wulandari IB, Habibah NA, Marianti A. 2021. Uric acid levels on sub-chronic oral administration of cassava leaf extract. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1968(1), 012008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1968/1/012008
Peake M, Whiting M. 2006. Measurement of serum creatinine—current status and future goals. Clinical Biochemist Reviews 27(4), 173–184.
Peana M, Pelucelli A, Chasapis CT, Perlepes SP, Bekiari V, Medici S, Zoroddu MA. 2022. Biological effects of human exposure to environmental cadmium. Biomolecules 13(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13010036
Prozialeck WC, Edwards JR. 2012. Mechanisms of cadmium-induced proximal tubule injury: New insights with implications for biomonitoring and therapeutic interventions. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 343(1), 2–12. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.110.166769
Sarmiento-Ortega VE, Moroni-González D, Díaz A, Eduardo B, Samuel T. 2022. Oral subacute exposure to cadmium LOAEL dose induces insulin resistance and impairment of the hormonal and metabolic liver-adipose axis in Wistar rats. Biological Trace Element Research 200(10), 4370–4384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-03027-z
Satarug S, Vesey DA, Gobe GC. 2023. Cadmium-induced proteinuria: Mechanistic insights from dose-effect analyses. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24(3), 1893. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24031893
Satarug S. 2024. Is environmental cadmium exposure causally related to diabetes and obesity? Cells 13(1), 83. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13010083
Sędzikowska A, Szablewski L. 2021. Human glucose transporters in renal glucose homeostasis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(24), 13522. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222413522
Şensoy E. 2023. Investigation of the effect of cadmium chloride applied during pregnancy on the morphological parameters of mouse offspring and the protective role of melatonin. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 9(November 2022), 100222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100222
Sharma K, Akre S, Chakole S, Wanjari MB. 2022. Stress-induced diabetes: A review. Cureus 14(9), e29142. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.29142
Siddiqui MF. 2010. Cadmium induced renal toxicity in male rats, Rattus rattus. Eastern Journal of Medicine 15(3), 93–96.
Sotomayor CG, Groothof D, Vodegel JJ, Eisenga MF, Knobbe TJ, IJmker J, Lammerts RGM, de Borst MH, Berger SP, Nolte IM, Rodrigo R, Slart RHJA, Navis GJ, Touw DJ, Bakker SJL. 2021. Plasma cadmium is associated with increased risk of long-term kidney graft failure. Kidney International 99(5), 1213–1224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2020.08.027
Tavakolizadeh M, Peyrovi S, Ghasemi-Moghaddam H, Bahadori A, Mohkami Z, Sotoudeh M, Ziaee M. 2023. Clinical efficacy and safety of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) in type 2 diabetic patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Acta Diabetologica 60(12), 1685–1695. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-023-02149-1
Wang Z, Sun Y, Yao W, Ba Q, Wang H. 2021. Effects of cadmium exposure on the immune system and immunoregulation. Frontiers in Immunology 12, 695484. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.695484
Witkowska D, Słowik J, Chilicka K. 2021. Heavy metals and human health: Possible exposure pathways and the competition for protein binding sites. Molecules 26(19), 6060. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26196060
Zhang J, B YL, Yang X, Zhao Y. 2019. Supplementation of okra seed oil ameliorates ethanol-induced liver injury and modulates gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice. Food & Function 10(10), 6385–6398. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9FO00189A
Amani A. R. Filimban, Nada O. Batais, 2025. Renal protection by Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seed oil against cadmium toxicity in male rats. Int. J. Biosci., 27(4), 8-18.
Copyright © 2025 by the Authors. This article is an open access article and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.