Exploring the Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Pumpkin and Olive Oil on Doxorubicin-induced Renal Toxicity in Rats
1★, 1, 1,2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 2,5★, 6★ Corresponding author
- 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
- 2Health Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
- 3Forensic Toxicology Services, Forensic Medical Center, Ministry of Health, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
- 4QY, UK. DOX and other chemical reagents were obtained from Sigma–Aldrich, 3050 Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA. Pumpkin seed oil and OO (Al Jouf brand; botanical source: Al Jouf region, Saudi Arabia; cold-pressed; glass vial; stored at room temperature) were purchased locally. DNA extraction kit and other molecular dyes and buffers were purchased from Beijing Solarbio Science and Technology Co., Ltd., Building 85, Liandong U Valley, Majuqiao, Tongzhou District, Beijing 101102, China. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) Analysis 100 µL of each oil sample was mixed with 900 µL methanol (MS grade) and vortexed for 1 min, and filtered through a 0.45 µm syringe filter directly into a 2 mL GC–MS vial for analysis. 2 µL of each sample was analyzed by GC–MS (QP2010 Ultra, Shimadzu, Japan). The capillary column (Trace™ TR-5MS, 30 m length, 0.25 µL film thickness, 0.25 mm internal diameter, Thermo Scientific, USA) was used for chromatographic separation of components. The injection port temperature was 270°C, and the carrier gas flow rate was 1.2 mL/min. The initial oven temperature was 70°C, followed by a 15°C ramping rate to 290°C, and held for.
- 5School of Health Sciences, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
- 6Pharmacy Department, Jazan University Hospital, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
CORRESPONDENCE
Mohammad Firoz Alam
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Received: 11-11-2025; Revised: 13-12-2025; Accepted: 26-12-2025.
Volume 17, Issue 4 · pp. 518–529 · 2026 · DOI: 10.1177/0976500X261417397
ABSTRACT
Background: Doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline-based chemotherapeutic agent, has been widely used as a first-line treatment for several cancers, including hematological and solid tumors, but its clinical utility is limited by severe cardiotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the protective effects of pumpkin oil (PO), olive oil (OO), and their combinations against DOX-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Materials and Methods: A total of six groups of rats were established for this experiment. The first group of rats served as a normal control and received only the vehicle for 10 days. The second group served as a positive control and received only the same pumpkin-to-OO ratio (1:1 v/v) orally daily for 10 days. The third group was a toxic group and received DOX 20 mg/kg intraperitoneally only on the fourth day. Groups four, five, and six were treated orally with pumpkin, olive, or a combination of both oils (10 mL/kg) daily for 10 days, followed by a single intraperitoneal dose of 20 mg/kg DOX on the 7th day. Results: The toxic group exhibited a significant increase in oxidative stress thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)), apoptotic markers (caspase-3 and caspase-9), renal markers (triglyceride (TG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid (UA), and creatinine (Cr)), and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation while antioxidant (glutathione (GSH)) and antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) were significantly reduced in comparison to the normal control. These alterations were notably reversed upon treatment with pumpkin and OO alone, as well as a combination, in comparison to the toxic group. These changes were also reflected in the histopathology of the kidney. No significant difference was observed between the positive and normal controls. Conclusion: Thus, we can conclude that the potential synergistic effects of pumpkin and OO in mitigating oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines, which may play a significant role as a native medicine in the future, with limitations.
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Alam, M. F., Hazazi, A. M. A., Al-Kasim, M. A., Jali, A. M., Hanbashi, A., Alshahrani, S., Alshamrani, A. A., Mawkili, W., Oraiby, M. E., Ibrahim, S., Daghriri, A. A., Mohan, S., & Mashour, Y. (2026). Exploring the Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Pumpkin and Olive Oil on Doxorubicin-induced Renal Toxicity in Rats. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 17(4), 518–529. https://doi.org/10.1177/0976500X261417397