EJMS

Abstract

Background: Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/ R) injury is considered a major cause of acute renal failure, usually follows shock, surgery and renal transplantation operations. The progression of renal injury due to I/R involves the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and release of free radicals. Curcumin had an antioxidant activity and can inhibit such mediators of inflammation. Aim of work: the present work was designed to evaluate the protective role of curcumin against ischemia/reperfusion induced injury in adult albino rat kidneys. Materials and methods: the present study was conducted on 24 adult male albinos rats which were randomly divided into 4 equal groups ; group I (control) , group II (sham) , group III (ischemia reperfusion I/R group): the kidneys were subjected to bilateral ischemia for 45 minutes followed by 24 hours of reperfusion), group IV (pre-treatment with curcumin then exposed to induced I/R) were received 200 mg /kg BW curcumin daily orally via gastric gavage for 14 days then the kidneys were subjected to 45 minutes of ischemia followed by 24 hours of reperfusion. Thereafter, by the end of 24 h of reperfusion, the animals were sacrificed and the kidneys were excised in toto. Kidney sections were prepared for histological, biochemical and histochemical study. Results: histological examination of the kidneys of group III demonstrated distortion of the renal glomeruli and cortical convoluted tubules, glomerular congestion, interstitial extravasations of blood with deposition of hemosidrin granules. The cortical tubules appeared dilated with cytoplasmic vacuolations and nuclear pyknosis of their lining epithelium. The collecting tubules were seen dilated with peri and intratubular extravasations of blood. PAS stained sections revealed weak positive reaction in the Bowman's capsule, the basement membrane and loss of the brush border of the proximal convoluted tubules. Biochemical results revealed significant increase in serum urea, creatinine concentrations as compared to the results of group I. Histochemical study revealed increase in nitric oxide (NO) enzyme with associated reduction in glutathione reductase (GSH) enzyme concentrations in the kidney tissues which were statistically significant as compared to the results of group I. Pretreatment with curcumin in group IV revealed remarkable protection against such pathological changes and improvement of the histological appearance of the renal glomeruli and convoluted and collecting tubules. There were strongly positive PAS reaction, significant decrease in serum urea and creatinine, increased GSH and decrease in NO concentrations in the kidney tissues as compared to the results of group I. Conclusion: Curcumin could protect the kidneys against ischemic/reperfusion induced injury of adult male albino rat.