Carnitine as a preventive agent in experimental renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species generated during the reperfusion of ischemic kidney, as well as any other tissue, cause lipid peroxidation damaging the cell membrane. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of carnitine in reperfusion injury of the kidney. Male albino rabbits were subjected to unilateral renal 1-h warm ischemia followed by 15 min of reperfusion. Group I (n = 9): control group received 3 cc of isotonic saline solution and group II (n = 9): carnitine group received 100 mg/kg of carnitine. Blood samples were collected at the 15th min of reperfusion from the left renal vein selectively. Preischemic and post-reperfusion serum and renal tissue MDA levels were measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) spectrophotometric analysis. The preischemic serum and tissue MDA values (sham values) for groups I and II were statistically comparable (P > 0.01). Serum and tissue MDA levels were markedly elevated after 15 min of reperfusion in group I (P < 0.01), while the values remained in the baseline levels following reperfusion in group II (P > 0.01). In group I, the major histological differences observed in the reperfused kidneys were marked edema and congestion whereas glomerular and tubular cellular integrity were well preserved in group II. Pre-treatment with carnitine in solid organ transplantations, preschock states, surgical procedures that require temporary vascular clamping etc. may be helpful to minimize the reperfusion injury in the involved tissue, reducing morbidity and mortality.

The Role of Carnitine in Preventing Renal Damage Developed as a Result of Infrarenal Aortic Ischemia–Reperfusion

“…In many studies serum and/or tissue MDA levels were shown as increased. 19,20,22,[44][45][46][47] In our study, serum creatinine and tissue MDA levels were significantly higher in AIR group than other groups. Also there was a positive correlation between serum creatinine and tissue MDA levels and between creatinine values and TSHD.…”

“…Therefore possible histopathological changes after infrarenal aortic occlusion and reperfusion decreased in a dose-related fashion by carnitine administration. Ergun et al 19 in rabbits and Onal et al 21 in rats showed that in IR damage developed by clamping of renal arteries carnitine decreased histopathological changes in kidneys. In similar models, Mister et al showed that carnitine improved tubular lesions developed by renal IR damage in their studies on rat.…”

“…MDA level was high in AIR group but it was lower in both low-dose (40 mg/kg) and highdose (200 mg/kg) carnitine groups; however, statistically significant difference was observed in high-dose carnitine group. Carnitine was shown to provide significant decreases in tissue MDA levels in studies of Ergun et al 19 in rabbits and Gorur et al 22 in rats investigating protective effects of carnitine in renal damage related to IR developed by clamping renal arteries. Mister et al showed in their studies with the same method that carnitine protected phospholipids and cellular membrane integrity by preventing lipid peroxidation and release of free oxygen radicals.…”

“…17,18 Carnitine has been shown to have a protecting effect in IR damage developed in kidneys because of clamping of renal arteries. [19][20][21][22] Carnitine has been effective in prevention of IR damage developed in different organs. [23][24][25][26][27] Carnitine also decreases renal damage developed because of several agents.…”

Urinary excretion of L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, propionyl-L-carnitine and their antioxidant activities after single dose administration of L-carnitine in healthy subjects

“…In previous studies, LC has been shown to have antioxidant effects against oxidative damage in different organs or tissues, including the kidney (Aydogdu et al, 2006;Chang et al, 2002). It has been demonstrated that LC administration inhibits both serum and kidney tissue MDA formation in response to renal ischaemia-reperfusion injury (Ergün et al, 2001). Carnitine supplementation has been found to enhance the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD, CAT and GPx, and decrease the MDA concentration in kidney tissues of 24-month-old rats .…”