Selenium Nanoparticles Attenuate Gentamycin-Induced Nephrotoxicity and Hematotoxicity in Female Swiss Albino Mice

Gentamycin (GM) is a widely used antibiotic for the treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections, but nephrotoxic effects limit its use. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have attracted worldwide research interest due to their high bioavailability and potential antioxidant property. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the protective effect of SeNPs on GM-induced changes in body and kidney weights, blood hematology, serum biochemistry parameters, and renal tissue markers of oxidative stress in female mice. GM was administered intraperitoneally (100mg/kgb.w) and SeNPs were given by oral gavage (2mg/kg b.w) for 10 consecutive days. GM treatment caused significant changes in the body and relative kidney weights and significant renal damage, evidenced by increased serum levels of urea, uric acid, creatinine, total proteins, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), along with noteworthy histopathological alterations. A marked decrease in serum sodium and potassium ions, and kidney tissue antioxidative defense system (reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT)) was observed in GM-treated mice when compared with the normal mice. Furthermore, significant decrease in total white blood corpuscles (WBC) count, total platelets count (PLT), total red blood corpuscles (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentration (Hgb), and packed cell volume (PCV) was also revealed in GM-treated group. However, GM + SeNPs group had effectively reversed GM-induced alteration of both biochemical and renal histological structures. Our results suggested for the first time that SeNPs are potent antioxidant candidate against GM-induced oxidative kidney toxicity and hematoxicity in mice.