Abstract
Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for the development and progression of kidney disease. Obesity may harm kidneys in individuals without hypertension, diabetes, or pre-existing renal disease. Ginger, Zingiber officinale, has many beneficial pharmaceutical benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the Zingiber officinale protective effect against obesity complications which induced by high fat diet and caused renal dysfunctions. The study period was two months, and the experimental animals' groups were four, 80 Wistar rats were appropriated similarly 20 animals/group: control group; ginger extract group (GE); high-fat diet (HFD); and GE+HFD group. Body and fat weight, creatinine, leptin, TNF-[alpha], total antioxidants, renal histopathological and ultrastructure were investigated. Rats in group of HFD showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in the body and fat weights, creatinine, leptin and TNF-[alpha], and significant decrease (P<0.05) in total antioxidants (TAS). Ginger administration significantly showed the protective restoring the altered parameters. Furthermore, rats co-treated with ginger extract improved the histopathological and ultrastructural renal injury induced by obesity. The study concluded that the ginger extract used could suppress and decrease the renal damage induced by high-fat diet as it possesses potential medicinal values. KEY WORDS: Ginger extract; Renal histology; High-fat diet (HFD); Obesity; Ultrastructural; Leptin; TNF-[alpha]