Effects of the hydrophilic extract of Juniperus excelsa on renal function in male Wistar rats

Introduction: Ores plant (Juniperus excelsa) has been used for a long-time in the treatment of kidney disease. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of J. excelsa extract on renal function in male Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: In this study, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups of eight rats. Distilled water was used for the healthy control group and the other three groups received doses of 10%, 25% and 50% of the extract for one month. Prior to the intervention and on the 15th and 30th days after intervention, 24-hour urine was collected for measurement of protein, creatinine, and urine volume. On the 30th day, the rats were anesthetized with ether and in addition to the urinary samples, serum samples were taken directly from their heart to check for creatinine, urea, sodium, and potassium. Additionally, both kidneys were removed and examined for histological changes. Results: There was a significant difference between the groups before and after intervention regarding creatinine clearance (P = 0.008). The mean serum urea on the 15th and 30th days of study was respectively 93±37.33 and 86.47±71.07 mg/dL (P = 0.001). In pathology examination, minimal infiltration of inflammatory cells in the interstitium and mild decrease in thickness of renal tubules was observed in 50% dose of the extract. Conclusion: This study showed that the greatest impact of J. excelsa on the renal function of the male Wistar rats was in doses of 50% of the extracts.