Vitamin E as a protective antioxidant in progressive renal failure

Abstract

SUMMARY:Progression to renal failure is significantly worsened by oxidative stress in chronic inflammatory kidney disease (IgA nephropathy, antiglomerular basement membrane nephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis), rhabdomyolysis (myoglobinic acute renal failure), diabetic nephropathy and in poisoning by nephrotoxic compounds such as transition metals, paraquat and drugs such as cyclosporine A and cisplatin. The membrane antioxidant vitamin E (a-tocopherol) is examined as a potential therapeutic intervention that may help to slow the rate of decline of kidney function in such conditions. An impaired plasma antioxidant defence system is characteristic of chronic renal failure and the uremic state. Vitamin E therapy is also considered as a means of correcting plasma antioxidant status and attenuating the cardiovascular disease that accompanies kidney failure.

The Protective Effects of Melatonin and Vitamin E against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats

“…[12,13] The protective effects of vitamin E on kidney tissue including renal ischemia reperfusion injury have yielded that it reduces lipid peroxidation and positive effects to antioxidant system status. [1,14,15] In light of the above findings, the present study examined the protective effects of exogenous melatonin and vitamin E supplementation on renal function, antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation production, and histopathological and electron microscopic changes in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.…”

For Debate: Fetal and early postnatal growth restriction lead to diabetes, the metabolic syndrome and renal failure*

“…Whilst this prospect must be somewhat speculative at this stage [52] publications referring to the potentially beneficial effects of antioxidants which decrease or prevent the deterioration of renal function, are beginning to emerge [53].…”

Vitamin E in renal therapeutic regimens

“…Vitamin E (VE), particularly in the form of α-tocopherol, has been proposed for the prevention or treatment of numerous health conditions [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], often based on its antioxidant [14,15] and anti-inflammatory properties [15,16]. However, review of the available scientific evidence revealed that, apart from the treatment of VE deficiency [17][18][19], there are no definitively proven medicinal uses of VE supplementation beyond the recommended daily allowance.…”

“…However, review of the available scientific evidence revealed that, apart from the treatment of VE deficiency [17][18][19], there are no definitively proven medicinal uses of VE supplementation beyond the recommended daily allowance. Meanwhile, there is a growing interest in the possible benefits of VE in kidney diseases with high oxidative stress [7,12,13,[20][21][22]. Oxidative stress occurs when the production of oxidants exceeds the capacity of the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems.…”