Effects of dexpanthenol and N-acetylcysteine pretreatment in rats before renal ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Background: We investigated the anti-inflammatory and protective effects of concomitant use of dexpanthenol (DXP) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) induced ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of kidney.

Methods: Forty rats were randomly divided into 5 groups. In all groups except for Group 1(Sham), renal arteries bilaterally occluded with vascular clamp for IR injury. Group 1(Sham), received a single dose of 10 mL/kg isotonic saline daily by intraperitoneal (IP) injection for three days. Group 2(IR), received a single dose of 10 mL/kg isotonic saline daily by IP injection for three days. Group 3(IR + NAC), received 300 mg/kg NAC daily by IP injection for three days. Group 4(IR + DXP), received 500 mg/kg DXP daily by IP injection for three days. Group 5(IR + NAC + DXP), received 500 mg/kg DXP and 300 mg/kg NAC daily by IP injection for three days. Serum urea (BUN), creatinine (Cr) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL, lipocalin 2, siderocalin) levels were measured as kidney function tests. TNF-α levels were measured as inflammatory marker. Tissue sections were evaluated histopathologically under light microscopy.

Results: IR + NAC + DXP group received both NAC and DXP before induction of renal I/R and as the biochemical and histopathological data revealed the results of the IR + NAC + DXP group and sham group were similar. Biochemically and histopathologically, combined use of NAC and DXP has better results when each of them used alone.

Conclusion: We concluded that concomitant use of DXP and NAC plays a major role against I/R injury and may be useful in acute treatment of I/R induced renal failure.