Immature Coconut Water: A Renal Protective Agent in Wistar Rats

The biochemical characteristics of immature coconut water (ICW) have presented it as a therapeutic agent that can be used for preventive, management and curative purposes. Development of a more efficient and cost effective means of prevention and management of kidney disorders through antioxidant activities were the objectives for embarking on the current experiment. This experiment is aimed at investigating the protective effect of ICW against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) induced renal toxicity. Twenty(20) rats were fed on standard diet and divided into four groups. Rats in group 1 and group 2 were injected intraperitoneally (i.p) with olive oil. Group 1 received tap water only, while group 2 received ICW (100ml/kg body weight/day) only. Rats in Group 3 and Group 4 were injected i.p with CCl4 (5ml/kg body weight). Group 3 received tap water, while group 4 received ICW (100ml/kg body weight/day) only. At the end of the experiment (1 week), blood was collected for biochemical analysis. The present findings revealed that, CCl4 decreased theserum level of kidney markers and increased the serum levels of some electrolytes; but these effects were prevented by the prior administration ICW on rats. The present study concluded that ICW administration played a protective role against CCl4 - induced kidney damagesin Wister rats. These protective effects were in the form of improving of kidney markers and electrolyte activities, in CCl4 - intoxicated rats. In the future, a dose dependent protective effect, and in vitro and in vivo regenerative effect of ICW on the kidney could be investigated.