Effects of L-carnitine on long-term post renal ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat

Abstract

Objective: Free radicals and nitric oxide play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by ischemia and reperfusion (IR). Despite the protective effects of L-carnitine on renal ischemia reperfusion injury, reports are lacking on its effects on anemia and the erythrocyte antioxidant status of long-term post IR injury in the rat kidney. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of L-carnitine on long-term IR injury in rat kidney. Material and Methods: Male Wistar Albino rats were divided into three groups (eight rats each) as Sham, IR (60 minutes of bilateral ischemia and 168 hours reperfusion) and IR+L-carnitine (intraperitoneally; 300 mg/kg/day for 7 days) groups. Anemia, kidney function, lipid peroxidation and kidney and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities as well as expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were examined. The kidneys were histologically evaluated. Results: L-carnitine treatment attenuated IR-induced histological alteration and reduced iNOS activitiy, increased eNOS activity, reduced urea and creatinine (each p=0.001), decreased malondialdehide levels (p=0.001) and increased both kidney and erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes activitiy and glutathione levels (p=0.001). Hematocrit was significantly increased (p=0.038). Conclusion: Our results show that L-carnitine plays a protective role in the pathogenesis of renal injury induced by IR. In addition, L-carnitine may ameliorate the anemia observed after renal IR injury. © 2013 by Türkiye Klinikleri.